Elon Musk aggressively body-checked Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in the White House after being called a fraud – igniting a fiery clash that sparked the billionaire’s messy falling-out with President Trump, a new report claims.
The heated scuffle broke out in mid-April after both men pitched rival plans for the Internal Revenue Service to Trump in the Oval Office, with the president ultimately backing Bessent’s choice, the Washington Post quoted former White House official Steven Bannon as saying.
The pair left the meeting hurling insults at each other within earshot of the president’s office, Bannon told the outlet.
“Scott said, ‘You’re a fraud. You’re a total fraud,’” Bannon said, referencing the-then Department of Government Efficiency honcho’s attempt to slash $1 trillion in federal spending.
The verbal spat turned allegedly physical when the world’s richest man rammed his shoulder into Bessent’s rib cage “like a rugby player,” prompting the treasury chief to fight back, the paper said Bannon claimed.
Bannon told the outlet it took multiple people to break up the playground tussle, before the SpaceX and Tesla founder was quickly removed from the West Wing.
“President Trump heard about it and said, ‘This is too much,’” said Bannon, who has long been critical of Musk and his involvement in Trump’s campaign and presidency.
The latest details on Musk’s dramatic White House exit emerged just days after the X owner went on a multi-day social media rampage against the commander in chief over his support of the “big, beautiful” bill making its way through Congress.
Their breakup has unfolded in real time on social media and escalated after Trump told reporters in the Oval Office Thursday that he was “disappointed” in the ex-DOGE chief, noting, “I’ve helped Elon a lot.”
Musk proceeded to lash out against the president, accusing the Trump administration of withholding documents related to convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein because the president would be mentioned in them.
Trump charged that Musk has gone “crazy” and threatened to cancel the “Billions and Billions” of dollars in contracts and subsidies the entrepreneur receives from the federal government.
Bannon also demanded a federal investigation into Musk’s immigration status, pressing that he should be deported “immediately.” Musk, who hails from South Africa, is an American citizen, according to reports.
The White House and Treasury Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
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