The feedback have been directed at New York Occasions reporting on a purported heated Musk–Rubio dispute.
President Donald Trump on Saturday denied studies that tech entrepreneur Elon Musk and Secretary of State Marco Rubio clashed throughout a latest Cupboard assembly, calling the claims “faux information” and insisting the 2 have a “nice relationship.”
Based on the report, Rubio pushed again, mentioning that 1,500 State Division workers had already accepted early buyouts, which ought to rely as workforce reductions. He then requested Musk whether or not he ought to rehire these workers simply to fireplace them once more, mocking DOGE’s missteps in rehiring staff it had initially let go, per the contested report.
The argument reportedly continued till Trump intervened, urging cooperation. The assembly had been convened following complaints from company heads and White Home officers about DOGE’s aggressive strategy to downsizing.
On Friday, Trump dismissed the New York Occasions report when questioned by reporters within the Oval Workplace.
“No conflict. I used to be there, you’re only a troublemaker,” he advised a journalist who requested in regards to the alleged dispute. “Elon will get alongside nice with Marco, and so they’re each doing a incredible job.”
Trump additionally praised Rubio’s efficiency as Secretary of State, whereas describing Musk as a “distinctive man” doing a “incredible job.”
Amid rising hypothesis about tensions between Musk and Rubio, Trump took to Reality Social on Saturday to additional quash the rumors.
The controversy comes amid weeks of turmoil in Washington, the place tens of hundreds of federal workers have been abruptly dismissed as a part of Trump’s sweeping effort to overtake the federal workforce. Critics have referred to as the mass terminations reckless, with some firings dealing with authorized challenges.
Whereas there is no such thing as a official rely of the overall dismissals, a number of studies estimate that not less than 20,000 workers have been fired, whereas one other 75,000 have accepted deferred resignations—bringing the overall variety of affected staff to just about 100,000.
“Now that we now have my Cupboard in place, I’ve instructed the Secretaries and Management to work with DOGE on Value Slicing measures and Staffing,” Trump wrote in a put up on Reality Social.
“Because the Secretaries find out about, and perceive, the folks working for the varied Departments, they are often very exact as to who will stay, and who will go. We are saying the ‘scalpel’ fairly than the ‘hatchet.’”
Regardless of these changes, Trump reaffirmed his dedication to trimming extra within the forms, telling reporters after the assembly that the two.3 million-strong federal workforce stays “uncontrolled.”
He urged his Cupboard members to take the lead on downsizing, however added that Musk and DOGE would step in if essential.
“If they will reduce, it’s higher,“ Trump stated. ”And in the event that they don’t reduce, then Elon will do the slicing.”