Musk and Bessent fought in White House in front of Trump - Axios

Head of the Government Efficiency Department (DOGE), Elon Musk, and US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent engaged in a public clash at the White House in the presence of President Donald Trump and high-ranking officials. The conflict centered around a power struggle over control of the US Tax Service (IRS).

Last Thursday, April 17, Musk and Bessent had a heated verbal exchange in the West Wing corridor. Witnesses described the scene as "middle-aged men thinking it was WWE."

Musk was upset by Bessent's interference in his staffing initiative, while Bessent accused Musk of failing to fulfill budget promises and called him a "Soros agent."

The conflict escalated after President Trump appointed Musk's candidate, Gary Shepley, as the interim head of the IRS on Wednesday, April 16. However, Bessent insisted on his deputy, Michael Folkender, for the position.

The dispute became so intense that aides had to physically separate the two officials.

White House press secretary Carolyn Levitt commented on the incident, stating that "disagreements are a normal part of any healthy policy process," her statement said. And ultimately, everyone knows they serve at the pleasure of President Trump."

The report notes that this is not the first high-profile clash involving Elon Musk - he has previously had conflicts with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, and Trade Adviser Peter Navarro.

After the altercation, Musk faced a wave of criticism on social media. However, the following day, Bessent emerged victorious, with Folkender being appointed head of the IRS.

According to Axios sources, neither side plans to reconcile, and a new round of tensions is expected in the White House administration.

Musk's controversial activities

In February, the Trump administration appointed Elon Musk as head of the US Government Efficiency Department (DOGE).

Following this appointment, the Department began aggressively reducing the number of officials in federal ministries and agencies. Some of the dismissals became controversial.

Specifically, the Department gained access to the US Department of Justice's secret system, which contains data on millions of migrants, raising privacy concerns.

Moreover, the US faced difficulties implementing Musk's initiative for "5 achievements" reports from federal officials. The government has sabotaged the requirement, with some agencies even ceasing to request the letters.

Musk also announced plans to shorten his tenure at DOGE due to the sharp decline in Tesla's stock price.