Washington
US President Donald Trump denied reports of a heated argument between Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Elon Musk over federal workforce cuts during a recent Cabinet meeting.
On Sunday, Trump took to his Truth Social platform, stating, “Elon and Marco have a great relationship. Any statement other than that is fake news!!!” This came after a New York Times article suggested a confrontation between Rubio and Musk, with Musk reportedly criticizing Rubio for not implementing more significant staff reductions at the State Department. Musk allegedly accused Rubio of firing “nobody.”
Rubio, however, responded by mentioning that over 1,500 State Department employees had already opted for early retirement through buyouts. He sarcastically asked Musk if he wanted those individuals rehired just to be fired again.
When asked about the incident, Trump dismissed the claims, saying, “No clash, I was there. Elon gets along great with Marco, and they’re both doing a fantastic job. There is no clash.” He further defended his administration’s approach to federal job cuts, promising a careful, measured strategy rather than aggressive layoffs.
The New York Times report also highlighted concerns from some Cabinet members about Musk's approach, which they described as “ready, fire, aim” regarding workforce reductions. Since January, Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has led to the layoff of over 30,000 federal workers. Additionally, around 75,000 federal employees have accepted a buyout plan.