Marco Rubio was furious during a heated meeting in the White House’s Cabinet Room. Sitting next to the president, he listened to Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, criticize him for not cutting staff at the State Department. Musk claimed Rubio had “fired nobody,” even mocking him for letting go of an employee from Musk’s own government department.
Rubio had been upset with Musk for weeks. Recently, Musk’s team had effectively shut down a government agency that Rubio was overseeing. In Thursday’s meeting, which was attended by President Trump and several cabinet members, Rubio finally expressed his frustrations. He pointed out that over 1,500 State Department employees had taken early retirements, which, according to him, counted as layoffs. He sarcastically asked Musk if he wanted him to rehire those staff just to show he could fire them again. Rubio also shared his plans for reorganizing the State Department.
Musk was not impressed and brushed off Rubio’s remarks, suggesting he was merely good at appearing on TV. Throughout the argument, President Trump leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, seemingly enjoying the drama unfold.
After a while, Trump stepped in to defend Rubio, saying he’s doing a “great job” despite being busy and that everyone needed to work together. This meeting was a notable moment in Trump’s second term. It hinted that the president might be willing to set boundaries for Musk, especially considering the backlash Musk’s aggressive approach had sparked among other Republican lawmakers.
Most cabinet members appreciated Musk’s goal of reducing waste in government but were frustrated by his heavy-handed methods. The unexpected meeting indicated that Trump was aware of the complaints and aimed to find a middle ground, praising both Musk’s initiative and his cabinet secretaries. He stated that from now on, cabinet members would take charge while Musk’s team would only provide advice.
The long-term effects of this meeting remain unclear. Musk is still a significant financial supporter of Trump, and his command of the social media platform X makes many cabinet members wary of his influence. The tensions that surfaced during this meeting were evident and quickly spread among senior officials afterward.
Following the meeting, Trump expressed on social media that future government staffing cuts would be done with precision instead of Musk’s blunt methods. During the discussion, Musk defended his experience, mentioning that he had built several billion-dollar companies and knew how to hire talent.
Just before his clash with Rubio, Musk debated transportation secretary Sean Duffy over the Federal Aviation Administration’s equipment. Duffy argued that Musk’s team was looking to lay off air traffic controllers, a dangerous move given ongoing safety concerns. Musk dismissed Duffy’s claims as false, demanding names of those who had been fired. Duffy explained that he had stopped the layoffs, emphasizing the need for experienced staff in such critical areas.
Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins highlighted the sensitivity of staffing cuts for veterans, stressing that they needed to be strategic. Trump agreed, advocating for the retention of skilled personnel while getting rid of underperformers.
In a post-meeting statement, the White House and other cabinet members emphasized their focus on improving government efficiency while maintaining the best employees. Duffy later remarked on social media that the cabinet meeting had been productive, aligning with Trump’s more careful approach to cuts.
Musk maintained a defensive stance during the meeting, reminding others of his achievements in building successful companies. His aggressive confrontations during the discussion surprised many cabinet members, who felt discouraged from speaking up given the tense atmosphere.
As this situation evolves, it’s uncertain how lasting the new dynamics will be within Trump’s cabinet. Only time will tell whether this newfound collaboration will continue amidst the ongoing challenges.
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Trump, Donald J,Musk, Elon,Customs (Tariff),Treasury Department,Europe,Layoffs and Job Reductions,Internal Revenue Service,Executive Orders and Memorandums
