AsianFin -- Elon Musk and U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent reportedly engaged in a WWE-style shouting match just steps from the Oval Office last week.
The confrontation becoming so intense that an aide had to physically intervene to separate the two.
The altercation, which took place within earshot of President Donald Trump, erupted over a disagreement on who should lead the Internal Revenue Service. Witnesses say the dispute began inside the Oval Office and spilled into the hallway, where Musk allegedly called Bessent—a billionaire himself—a "failure".
At the heart of the conflict was the appointment of former IRS agent and Hunter Biden whistleblower Gary Shapley as acting IRS commissioner. Shapley was reportedly Musk's preferred candidate, while Bessent backed his own deputy, Michael Faulkender. Sources told Axios that Bessent accused Musk of bypassing him to get Shapley the job. "The F-bombs started to fly," one source said.
During the exchange, Bessent reportedly criticized Musk for not delivering on certain expectations related to Dogecoin (DOGE), while Musk fired back, accusing Bessent of being a "Soros agent" who ran a "failed hedge fund."
"It was like two billionaire, middle-aged men acting out a WWE match in the West Wing," one witness said. Another added: "It was quite a scene. It was loud. And I mean, loud."
When asked for comment, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt did not deny the incident. "It's no secret President Trump has assembled a team of highly passionate individuals," she said. "Disagreements are a normal part of a healthy policy process."
Ultimately, Bessent appeared to emerge victorious. Just three days after being named to the role, Shapley was removed and replaced by Faulkender.
In a statement announcing the change, Bessent avoided referencing the clash directly but said: "Trust must be brought back to the IRS, and I am fully confident that Deputy Secretary Michael Faulkender is the right man for the moment."
Meanwhile, Musk, who had opposed Bessent's Treasury nomination, told Tesla investors on Tuesday that he plans to reduce his government work to just one or two days a week starting in May, citing declining sales at Tesla. As a special government employee, Musk is legally limited to working no more than 130 days per year in the role.
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