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President Trump recently questioned whether Elon Musk’s pledge to cut $1 trillion in government spending was genuine, reportedly asking his advisers, “Was it all bulls***?”
The Wall Street Journal reports that even Trump, who remains friendly with Musk after he left his administration on Friday, started to doubt his promises while leading the Department of Government Efficiency.
Despite Trump and Musk publicly praising each other in public during the billionaire’s rocky four-month government stint, the president and his top aides sometimes had spats with Musk over things like the Middle East and cabinet meetings, sources told the outlet.
At a spring cabinet meeting, Musk allegedly surprised officials by venting about the toll government work was taking on his businesses, especially Tesla. Attorney General Pam Bondi reportedly responded by pledging to prosecute every criminal they could.
Still, Trump requested that his aides coordinate a farewell celebration for Musk in the Oval Office on Friday, they said.
Trump and Musk frequently had long dinner conversations, though Musk’s quirky sense of humor sometimes confused Trump, White House staffers told the WSJ. Still, the pair remains in contact and reportedly dined together as recently as last week.
“Elon is not really leaving,” Trump said in a press conference on Friday. “He’s going to be back and forth.”
Trump’s advisers reportedly described their time with Musk as chaotic, marked by his surprise decisions, late-night messages, and even overnight stays at the White House.
Musk frequently clashed with senior officials, often bypassing key staff members, including Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, while making major government cuts.
Top aides often learned about DOGE’s actions, like mass layoffs or sensitive data requests, from the news. Disagreements also allegedly arose over staff vetting, with Musk resisting White House control. Tensions grew so intense that Trump asked Wiles to take a more active role in managing Musk.
Musk has also reportedly criticized some in the White House for lacking his level of commitment to reform in Washington.
Initially, Musk was at the White House five to seven days a week, according to people familiar with the matter. That later dropped to three days, and by the end, he was only showing up occasionally, they said.
The Independent has contacted representatives for Trump and Musk for comment.
Musk reportedly told senior administration officials he was facing backlash from his time in government and needed to step away from the Trump administration to focus on his struggling businesses.
“I have to get some heat off me and my companies,” Musk allegedly said in private.
He has been impacted by falling Tesla sales, with many people selling their vehicles, and the company’s net income dropping 71 percent in the first quarter. SpaceX also experienced a string of challenges, including a rocket explosion earlier this week.
Trump’s request to give Musk a proper farewell culminated in a memorable press conference Friday from the Oval Office.
Musk, a father of at least 12 kids, showed up to the event with a black eye, claiming he told his 5-year-old son, X, to punch him in the face while they were “horsing around.”
“I didn’t really feel much at the time, and then, I guess, it bruises up,” Musk said.
“That was X that did that?” Trump asked Musk. “X could do it. If you knew X, he could do it.”
Musk also dodged a reporter’s question about a New York Times report claiming he consumed ketamine, ecstasy, psychedelic mushrooms, Adderall, and other substances while serving in the Trump administration.
“Let’s move on,” Musk said Friday.
The White House maintains that a single person will not lead DOGE after Musk’s departure and that Cabinet secretaries, along with other officials, will collectively carry on his initiatives.
