President Donald Trump emphasized the importance of harmony between billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk and Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday, refuting a report from The New York Times that highlighted a supposed disagreement between the two influential figures in his administration. The NYT article emerged on the same day.
Trump addressed reporters, stating there was “no clash” between Musk and Rubio, labeling an NBC journalist who asked about the alleged argument a “troublemaker.” He affirmed, “Elon gets along great with Marco and they’re both doing a fantastic job,” once again denying the existence of any conflict between Musk, who heads the Department of Government Efficiency, and Rubio.
According to the Times, the reported clash occurred during a Cabinet Room meeting on Thursday, attended by roughly 20 individuals, including Trump. Musk allegedly criticized Rubio for not implementing enough staff reductions as part of a broader DOGE initiative aimed at downsizing the federal workforce. Rubio countered Musk’s claims, questioning why State Department officials who opted for early retirement didn’t factor into Musk’s definition of layoffs. He reportedly made a sarcastic comment about rehiring those officials solely to fire them again, possibly referencing recent rehires by the Trump administration of federal workers previously let go by DOGE. After the exchange, Trump defended Rubio, stating he has performed admirably as Secretary of State and emphasized that Cabinet secretaries oversee cost-cutting measures while Musk’s role is more advisory. Trump, who reportedly observed the disagreement silently, remarked, “I was there,” reinforcing that Musk and Rubio “get along fantastically well.”
Crucial Quote
“Marco has done unbelievably as Secretary of State, and Elon is a very unique guy who’s done a fantastic job,” Trump said Friday.
The controversy surrounding the supposed altercation between Musk and Rubio stems from significant spending and workforce cuts impacting the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which Rubio oversees in an acting capacity. The Trump administration is working to diminish the agency’s influence, merging some of its responsibilities into Rubio’s State Department. Reports indicate that thousands of USAID employees were given short notice to vacate their offices last month as the administration moved to terminate or place over 5,500 employees on leave while also freezing overseas aid provided by USAID. The Supreme Court has permitted these agency cuts to continue temporarily while it deliberates on a challenge to the layoffs. Musk has labeled the humanitarian organization a “radical-left political psyop,” though he has not provided supporting evidence for this claim.
