Elon Musk-Marco Rubio Clash Over Staff Cuts In Explosive Meeting In Trump's Presence; US Prez Denies Blow Up

A heated exchange erupted during a high-stakes Cabinet meeting on Friday (IST) as U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and billionaire White House adviser Elon Musk sparred over federal staff reductions in front of President Donald Trump.

What Happened In The Meeting?

The confrontation unfolded as Trump firmly reiterated that final decisions on staffing and policy would rest with Cabinet heads- not Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a newly established agency tasked with cutting government spending.

Musk Accuses Rubio of Resisting Layoffs
According to The New York Times, Musk, who was handpicked by Trump to streamline the federal workforce, accused Rubio of failing to implement significant staff reductions.

"You haven't fired anyone," Musk reportedly told Rubio, sarcastically noting that the only person dismissed had been someone from his own department.

Rubio, who has been frustrated with Musk for weeks-particularly after his team dismantled the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)-finally pushed back.

Calling Musk's accusations "not truthful," Rubio pointed out that 1,500 State Department employees had already left through early retirement buyouts. "Didn't they count as layoffs?" he shot back. He even sarcastically suggested rehiring those workers just to fire them again, mocking Musk's approach.

Trump Downplays Rift

When asked about the clash, Trump dismissed the report, telling reporters at the Oval Office: "No clash, I was there. You're just a troublemaker."

He emphasized that both Rubio and Musk were "doing a fantastic job" and praised Rubio's leadership as Secretary of State. "Elon is a unique guy," Trump added.

Growing Discontent Over Musk's Approach

The meeting followed mounting complaints from agency heads regarding Musk's aggressive tactics. Senior White House officials, including Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, had been fielding concerns from frustrated government leaders.

The White House Office of Legislative Affairs has also been overwhelmed with calls from Republican lawmakers who say their constituents are voicing concerns over the deep cuts.