Did Elon Musk hit Scott Bessent? White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt dismisses report; calls it 'robust disagreements'
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt minimised reports of a physical confrontation between
Elon Musk
and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, describing it as a "robust disagreement."
Speaking to Fox News' "Sunday Morning Futures," Leavitt acknowledged her absence during the April incident but disputed characterisations of it as a "fistfight," after reports suggested Musk collided with Bessent's rib cage in a forceful manner.
"I certainly wouldn't describe it as a fistfight, Maria," Leavitt told host Maria Bartiromo. "It was definitely a disagreement, although I was not there. I didn't witness it with my own eyes."
Leavitt referenced her previous statement about occasional disagreements between cabinet members and Musk, emphasising the administration's ability to maintain productive working relationships despite differences. 'When this story originally broke, I said from the podium that there have definitely been healthy disagreements amongst the cabinet and Elon Musk,' she said.
'There were times in which they got frustrated with one another, but I think that really speaks to the heart of this Cabinet and the president's team, that they can have these robust disagreements and then still come together to do what's right for the people they are serving," she further said, adding, 'We have moved on from that."
The administration has indicated its focus on advancing the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, with emphasis on reducing governmental inefficiencies and mismanagement. This bill has been openly opposed by Musk which has caused friction with Trump.
According to Steve Bannon's account to the Washington Post, the incident escalated after Bessent accused Musk of fraudulent behaviour, resulting in a physical altercation that required intervention from others present.
Bannon, Trump's former chief strategist and current "War Room" podcast host, has advocated for Musk's deportation and governmental control of SpaceX in response to Musk's criticism of the president.
Read more:
Elon Musk hit Scott Bessent's ribcage after being called a 'fraud', Trump called it 'too much'
Neither Musk nor Bessent have addressed the alleged incident publicly. The New York Times had previously reported a verbal disagreement between the two during the same April meeting.
The meeting involved discussions about Internal Revenue Service leadership candidates.
The president ultimately supported Bessent's recommendation. Earlier, Musk had endorsed Howard Lutnick for Treasury Secretary, though Lutnick was later appointed as Commerce Secretary.
Reports indicate that during the meeting, Bessent criticised Musk's performance in reducing government expenditure through the Department of Government Efficiency, noting significant shortfalls in achieving the targeted $1 trillion in cuts.
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