Musk and Rubio engage in intense dispute – NYT
Marco Rubio and Elon Musk experienced a confrontation regarding allegations that the secretary of state is not implementing staff reductions, according to the NYT.. source:TROIB RTS
TroibNews 
U.S. President Donald Trump's two allies reportedly had a confrontation regarding accusations about staff reductions within the State Department, according to the *New York Times*.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Elon Musk, head of the Department of Government Efficiency, engaged in a tense exchange during a closed-door cabinet meeting at the White House, the article stated. The conflict reportedly arose when Musk criticized Rubio for not implementing sufficient employee cuts in his department, leading to Rubio's frustration over Musk's ongoing criticism of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
The meeting, characterized as "extraordinary" by the newspaper, occurred on Thursday in the presence of Trump and approximately 20 senior officials. During the discussion, Musk accused Rubio of failing to make any staff reductions, stating, “You have fired nobody.” He added that the only individual Rubio may have let go was someone from the DOGE staff.
In response, Rubio defended his actions by pointing out that over 1,500 employees from the State Department had accepted early retirement buyouts. He challenged Musk's expectations, questioning whether he should rehire and dismiss employees merely to create the appearance of deeper staff cuts. Rubio also took the opportunity to outline his department’s restructuring plans.
The *NYT* further noted that Rubio's frustration had been building for weeks due to Musk's initiative that effectively undermined USAID, the primary agency responsible for funding overseas political projects, which has since come under Musk's oversight. Musk has alleged that the agency is plagued by inefficiency and rampant corruption.
Musk, however, appeared unfazed by Rubio's arguments, branding him as merely “good on TV.” As their dispute escalated, Trump intervened, asserting that the secretary of state is doing a “great job” and encouraging collaboration between the two.
This dispute may signal that Trump is attempting to manage Musk's influence, as reported by the *New York Times*. While senior officials generally support efforts to reduce government waste, they have expressed dissatisfaction with Musk's aggressive methods.
Earlier in the meeting, Musk had also clashed with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy over funding and staffing for air traffic control systems, prompting Trump to step in once again to ease the situation.
Trump later addressed the situation, insisting that there is “no clash” between Musk and Rubio, labeling a questioning NBC journalist as a “troublemaker.” “Elon gets along great with Marco and they’re both doing a fantastic job,” Trump said.
Allen M Lee contributed to this report for TROIB News
Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Elon Musk, head of the Department of Government Efficiency, engaged in a tense exchange during a closed-door cabinet meeting at the White House, the article stated. The conflict reportedly arose when Musk criticized Rubio for not implementing sufficient employee cuts in his department, leading to Rubio's frustration over Musk's ongoing criticism of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
The meeting, characterized as "extraordinary" by the newspaper, occurred on Thursday in the presence of Trump and approximately 20 senior officials. During the discussion, Musk accused Rubio of failing to make any staff reductions, stating, “You have fired nobody.” He added that the only individual Rubio may have let go was someone from the DOGE staff.
In response, Rubio defended his actions by pointing out that over 1,500 employees from the State Department had accepted early retirement buyouts. He challenged Musk's expectations, questioning whether he should rehire and dismiss employees merely to create the appearance of deeper staff cuts. Rubio also took the opportunity to outline his department’s restructuring plans.
The *NYT* further noted that Rubio's frustration had been building for weeks due to Musk's initiative that effectively undermined USAID, the primary agency responsible for funding overseas political projects, which has since come under Musk's oversight. Musk has alleged that the agency is plagued by inefficiency and rampant corruption.
Musk, however, appeared unfazed by Rubio's arguments, branding him as merely “good on TV.” As their dispute escalated, Trump intervened, asserting that the secretary of state is doing a “great job” and encouraging collaboration between the two.
This dispute may signal that Trump is attempting to manage Musk's influence, as reported by the *New York Times*. While senior officials generally support efforts to reduce government waste, they have expressed dissatisfaction with Musk's aggressive methods.
Earlier in the meeting, Musk had also clashed with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy over funding and staffing for air traffic control systems, prompting Trump to step in once again to ease the situation.
Trump later addressed the situation, insisting that there is “no clash” between Musk and Rubio, labeling a questioning NBC journalist as a “troublemaker.” “Elon gets along great with Marco and they’re both doing a fantastic job,” Trump said.
Allen M Lee contributed to this report for TROIB News
