US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Elon Musk were recently reported to have had a confrontation.
The four letter word salad in the West Wing, escalating tensions within the Trump administration. The dispute centered on the appointment of the acting IRS commissioner. Musk advocated for Gary Shapley, a former IRS agent known for his whistleblowing on Hunter Biden's tax matters, while Bessent favored his deputy, Michael Faulkender, for the role. Musk's direct appeal to President Trump for Shapley's appointment bypassed Bessent's authority, leading to frustration and a subsequent confrontation between the two .Axios+3Firstpost+3The Independent+3
The altercation, described as a "WWE-style" shouting match, reportedly took place outside the Oval Office and was loud enough for President Trump to hear. According to sources, Bessent criticized Musk for overpromising and underdelivering on budget cuts through the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), while Musk retorted by labeling Bessent a "Soros agent" and mocking his financial background . An aide had to intervene to separate the two men.The Daily Beast+4Firstpost+4Newsweek+4The Daily Beast+4Newsweek+4Axios+4
This incident highlights the growing rift between Musk's disruptive approach to government reform and Bessent's more traditional, stabilizing role in fiscal policy. The clash has reportedly led to Musk's retreat from Washington politics, with sources indicating that his influence within the administration has waned.
After all was said and done, according to published reports Elon Musk's accomplishments vs. his promises, In the end he saved 1.25% of the initial $2 trillion bogey. In other words 98.75% of the $2 trillion remains….. Elon Musk’s Federal Budget Cut Claims vs. Reality
• Oct 2024: Musk claimed DOGE would cut $2 trillion from the federal budget.
• Jan 2025: Revised the goal to $1 trillion.
• Apr 2025: Final target reduced to $150 billion.
• Apr 20, 2025: DOGE reported $160 billion in gross savings.
• Apr 28, 2025: Independent analysis showed only $25 billion in net savings after accounting for rehiring and disruption costs.
Who is next? https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2025/07/jd-vance-reinventi…