Scott Bessent and Elon Musk reportedly got into a screaming match in the White House last week that was so heated that an aide had to physically separate them.
The argument between the treasury secretary and Tesla CEO stemmed from a disagreement over who should lead the IRS, two anonymous witnesses told Axios. Musk was lobbying for Gary Shapley, who briefly served as acting commissioner, while Bessent favored Deputy Treasury Secretary Michael Faulkender.
The witnesses said that Bessent confronted Musk during a meeting Thursday about going behind his back, and that "the F bombs started to fly" soon after. Bessent criticized Musk's so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) for failing to make good on its promised cuts, and Musk called Bessent a "Soros agent" who ran "a failed hedge fund."
"It was two billionaire, middle-aged men thinking it was WWE in the hall of the West Wing," one witness said. "They were not physical in the Oval, but the president saw it, and then they carried it down the hall, and that's when they did it again."
"It was quite a scene. It was loud. And I mean loud," said a second.
The argument ended when an aide stepped between the men to separate them. Donald Trump ultimately ended up appointing Faulkender to the position on Friday, the following day.
Representatives for both Musk and Bessent confirmed to Axios that the spat had occurred, but declined to comment further. White House officials also confirmed the argument, with Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt saying in a statement "it's no secret President Trump has put together a team of people who are incredibly passionate about the issues impacting our country."
A source close to Bessent told the outlet that the treasury secretary "can't stand" Musk — and he doesn't seem to be alone. Anonymous White House officials recently told Rolling Stone that Musk is "the most irritating person I’ve ever had to deal with," and that they have "earnestly" questioned whether or not he was on drugs in private statements to each other.
