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A highly tense Cabinet meeting at the White House on Thursday exposed deep divisions within Trump’s administration, as Elon Musk sparred with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy over his aggressive budget-cutting measures.
According to The New York Times, Musk criticized Rubio for failing to fire enough staff, while Duffy accused Musk’s team of trying to lay off air traffic controllers despite recent plane crashes. The arguments became so heated that Trump had to step in to restore order.
Rubio vs. Musk: A Heated Exchange Over Layoffs
Musk blasted Rubio for not cutting enough State Department employees, mocking him for only firing a single worker from Musk’s own Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Rubio fired back, pointing out that 1,500 State Department officials had already taken buyouts and sarcastically asking if Musk wanted him to rehire them just to fire them again.
Musk dismissed Rubio’s defense, telling him he was “good on TV” but implying he wasn’t getting the job done.
Duffy Confronts Musk Over FAA Safety Risks
Tensions escalated further when Duffy pushed back on Musk’s cuts to air traffic control staffing, especially in light of recent aviation accidents.
- Duffy accused Musk’s team of targeting FAA layoffs, saying, “I have multiple plane crashes to deal with, and your people want me to fire air traffic controllers?”
- Musk denied the claim, calling it a “lie” and demanding names of employees supposedly being cut.
- Duffy countered that he stopped the firings before they happened, leaving Musk visibly frustrated.
Trump finally intervened, telling Duffy that air traffic controllers should be hired from M.I.T., saying the FAA needs “geniuses” in those roles.
Trump Steps In to Limit Musk’s Power
The meeting was the clearest sign yet that Trump is willing to put limits on Musk’s influence. While Trump still supports Musk’s government downsizing mission, he announced:
- Cabinet secretaries, not Musk, will be in charge moving forward.
- Future budget cuts should be done with a “scalpel” rather than a “hatchet”, a direct rebuke of Musk’s harsh approach.
Musk’s Future in Trump’s White House
Despite the tension, Musk remains Trump’s largest financial supporter, and his ownership of social media platform X gives him significant influence.
While Musk later claimed on social media that the meeting was “productive,” sources told The New York Times that his combative attitude toward Rubio and Duffy surprised many cabinet members, leaving them hesitant to challenge him further.
