Elon Musk has launched a social media campaign in response to reports detailing his contentious exchange with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and his waning influence within the Trump administration. This development marks a significant increase in the ongoing tensions during his four-month tenure in government.
The CEO of Tesla came under renewed scrutiny following the publication of a profile in The Atlantic titled “The Decline and Fall of Elon Musk,” which described his increasingly isolated role as head of the Department of Government Efficiency. Musk countered with several posts on X, dismissing the publication as a “zombie publication” and mocking its primary owner, Laurene Powell Jobs.
The Atlantic article begins with an account of a heated confrontation in April between Musk and Bessent in the West Wing over control of the Internal Revenue Service. Witnesses reported that Treasury Secretary Bessent used profanities during their disagreement over the leadership of the IRS.
Witnesses described the April 2025 incident as an unprecedented breach of White House decorum. “It was two billionaire, middle-aged men thinking it was WWE in the hall of the West Wing,” a witness noted. The incident occurred within earshot of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who was visiting President Donald Trump that day. An aide had to physically separate the two men as the argument moved from the Oval Office to the West Wing corridors.
The dispute focused on Musk’s appointment of Gary Shapley as acting IRS commissioner without Bessent’s approval. Shapley, a former IRS agent known for his whistleblowing in the Hunter Biden tax investigation, was Musk’s preferred candidate. Bessent wanted his deputy, Michael Faulkender, to lead the agency, which is under Treasury Department oversight.
During the exchange, Bessent criticized Musk for overpromising budget cuts through DOGE while underdelivering results. Musk reportedly accused Bessent of being a Soros agent and managing a failed hedge fund. Ultimately, Bessent prevailed in the power struggle when Trump replaced Shapley with Faulkender after just three days.
The altercation highlighted broader tensions between Musk and Trump administration officials throughout his tenure. In March, Musk faced criticism from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins, and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy during another White House meeting arranged by Trump. Sources indicated that Cabinet members were frustrated with Musk’s perceived overreach.
Administration officials have become increasingly critical of Musk’s management style and approach to government efficiency. Several senior Trump officials described Musk as abrasive and unfunny, with some labeling him as the most irritating person they had encountered in government. His Silicon Valley approach of moving fast and breaking things has conflicted with the federal bureaucracy’s slower pace, causing friction with both career officials and political appointees.
Musk’s role as a special government employee restricts his service to 130 days within a year, shaping his timeline in Washington, D.C. If his tenure began on Inauguration Day, January 20, his 130-day limit would end by late May. However, Musk announced during a Tesla earnings call in April that he would reduce his government involvement starting in May. “Probably starting next month, in May, my time allocation at DOGE will drop significantly,” Musk said. He indicated he would spend only one or two days per week on government matters for the rest of Trump’s term.
The Department of Government Efficiency has achieved mixed results under Musk’s leadership. DOGE successfully terminated numerous government grants and contracts and encouraged the dismissal of thousands of federal employees across multiple agencies. The department accessed sensitive Treasury Department payment systems containing Americans’ Social Security numbers and bank account information, demonstrating unprecedented access to government data systems.
Nonetheless, DOGE has not delivered on its promised massive budget savings or deficit reduction. Government spending increased 10 percent compared to the same period last year. According to Treasury Department data, revenue grew only 3 percent, leading to a 23 percent increase in the federal deficit as of March 31. Some of Musk’s initiatives, such as weekly progress reports required from federal employees, have been quietly abandoned.
The tension between Musk and Bessent partly arises from their differing philosophies and personalities. Musk advocates for rapid, disruptive change, similar to his approach when acquiring Twitter in 2022, while Bessent represents a more measured, traditional financial management approach. Their relationship was strained from the start, as Musk had lobbied for Howard Lutnick to receive the Treasury Secretary position instead of Bessent.
Trump has consistently defended Musk’s work with DOGE despite internal conflicts. The president told reporters that Musk was uncovering significant fraud, corruption, and waste within the federal government. Trump has stated he would prevent Musk from working on any government matters that might create conflicts of interest with his business ventures.
Congressional Democrats have launched investigations into DOGE’s access to sensitive data systems and challenged the department’s authority to shut down federal agencies. A group of 19 Democratic state attorneys general filed a lawsuit questioning DOGE’s constitutional authority, while Senate Democrats investigated reports that the organization accessed federal student loan data without proper authorization.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the administration’s approach to internal disagreements, stating that conflicts represent a normal part of any healthy policy process. She emphasized that all officials serve at the pleasure of President Trump, who ultimately makes final decisions on policy matters. One unnamed Trump adviser expressed frustration with Musk’s methods. “I think everyone’s ready to move on from this part of the administration,” the adviser said.
Musk’s reduced schedule starting in May reflects both the limitations of his special government employee status and Tesla’s declining performance, prompting investor pressure for him to refocus on the electric vehicle company. His announcement came during a Tesla earnings call where the company reported disappointing sales figures, contributing to stock price declines that have affected his personal wealth and influence.
As of May 25, 2025, Elon Musk has announced a return to a “24/7” work schedule focusing on his companies, including X, Tesla, SpaceX, and xAI. Despite Musk’s reduced involvement, DOGE continues to operate within the Trump administration, maintaining ongoing initiatives and controversies.
