Shortly after President Donald Trump addressed reports of a tense exchange during a recent Cabinet meeting involving Elon Musk and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, he had dinner with both individuals.
“ELON AND MARCO HAVE A GREAT RELATIONSHIP. ANY STATEMENT OTHER THAN THAT IS FALSE!!! DJT,” Trump stated on social media. On Sunday, the White House press secretary confirmed the dinner took place the previous evening.
This followed reports that Musk and Rubio had clashed at a Cabinet meeting on Thursday, where Trump was present, regarding Rubio’s handling of staff reductions. Musk, serving as a “special government employee,” has led major cuts to federal agencies, resulting in mass firings and contract cancellations as part of his role overseeing the Department of Government Efficiency. Reports indicated Rubio had been frustrated for weeks over Musk’s actions, particularly after reductions within the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which Rubio had been managing.
In response, Rubio highlighted that 1,500 State Department employees had accepted early retirement packages. During the dispute, with about 20 people present, Trump reportedly observed quietly before stepping in to defend Rubio, saying he was doing a “great job.”
Trump’s social media post appeared to be an attempt to downplay the reported conflict, though it seemingly did not have the intended effect, as public discussion of the incident continued. Multiple reports stated that during the Cabinet meeting, Trump reminded officials that they are responsible for their own departments, not Musk.
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