Elon Musk and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent reportedly engaged in a physical altercation at the White House that has since been described as resembling a rugby match. This unprecedented physical clash ultimately resulted in Musk being escorted from the West Wing, with President Trump reportedly disapproving of the incident. Did this scuffle lead to Musk’s decision to leave the White House?
Rugby Match in the West Wing
Tensions between Elon Musk and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent erupted into a physical altercation within the White House, shocking witnesses and upending traditional expectations of decorum in the executive branch. The confrontation reportedly began after both men presented competing plans for the Internal Revenue Service to President Trump, with the President ultimately favoring Bessent’s proposal.
According to former White House strategist Steve Bannon, Bessent initiated the verbal confrontation by telling Musk, “You’re a fraud. You’re a total fraud.” What followed was described as Musk body-checking Bessent “like a rugby player,” prompting a physical retaliation that required multiple bystanders to intervene and separate the men.
It is being said that @elonmusk physically shoved US Treasury Sec Scott Bessent in a HEATED Oval Office clash.
Sources say, Bessent BLASTED Musk for cutting only $100B instead of a promised $1T from the budget. The fight SPILLED into the West Wing, with Trump backing Bessent! pic.twitter.com/AoO7dOEM47
— Nobody (@Nobody8_RAW) June 6, 2025
Presidential Disapproval and Aftermath
Following the physical altercation, Musk was reportedly escorted from the West Wing, with President Trump expressing his disapproval of the incident. Bannon claims the President stated, “This is too much,” signaling his dissatisfaction with the unprecedented breach of White House protocol.
The confrontation centered on the appointment of the IRS acting commissioner, with Musk allegedly bypassing Bessent to install Gary Shapley while Bessent preferred Deputy Treasury Secretary Michael Faulkender for the role. Trump eventually sided with Bessent’s recommendation, further souring the relationship between the President and the tech billionaire.
🇺🇸| According to U.S. media reports, Scott Bessent is the one who struck Elon Musk. Bessent called Elon a fraud, which Musk took poorly and responded to physically. In response, Bessent hit him. pic.twitter.com/aqqZikuUIP
— Eternal Glory (@EternalGlory0) June 7, 2025
Deteriorating Relationships and Political Fallout
In the aftermath of the incident, Musk announced a reduction in his involvement with the administration to focus on his business interests, including Tesla, SpaceX, and X. The relationship between Trump and Musk had already been strained by Musk’s criticism of Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” and other policy disagreements.
Bannon has since escalated his criticism of Musk, suggesting formal investigations into Musk’s immigration status and even calling for his deportation. “They should initiate a formal investigation of his immigration status, because I am of the strong belief that he is an illegal alien, and he should be deported from the country immediately,” Bannon stated, further highlighting the divisions within Trump’s circle of influence.
The confrontation coincided with Musk’s social media criticism of the administration, including accusations that the Trump White House was withholding documents related to Jeffrey Epstein. In response, Trump reportedly threatened to cancel federal contracts and subsidies benefiting Musk’s companies, demonstrating the high-stakes nature of their deteriorating relationship.
As of publication, representatives for the White House, the Treasury Department, and Musk have not provided official comments on the incident. While hostilities have reportedly eased in recent weeks, sources close to the administration suggest that a meaningful reconciliation between Trump and Musk appears unlikely in the near future.