According to multiple sources, Musk criticized Rubio’s handling of the State Department, specifically questioning why he had not fired anyone. Rubio pushed back, arguing that more than 1,000 employees had taken buyouts, the sources told ABC News.
Most Cabinet members remained observers during the exchange, which was first reported by The New York Times. Trump, after watching the back-and-forth, interjected to express support for Rubio, telling him he was doing a good job, the sources added.
ABC News previously reported that during the meeting, Trump reminded his Cabinet members that they, not Musk, were in charge of their respective agencies.
The State Department did not immediately respond to ABC News’ request for comment.
The episode highlights ongoing tensions between Musk and members of Trump’s Cabinet. For weeks, multiple Cabinet officials have privately voiced frustration over Musk’s approach to government spending cuts and the directives issued by him and his DOGE team to federal employees.
Asked about the reported clash on Friday at an unrelated White House event, Trump dismissed the notion of a dispute. “There is no clash,” he said, adding that Rubio and Musk “get along fantastically well” and are “both doing a fantastic job.”