By Katherine Tinsley
10:36am PDT, Mar 12, 2025
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According to
Vanity Fair, Marco Rubio and Transportation Secretary
Sean Duffy lost their tempers with Elon Musk after DOGE slashed their workforces without their approval.
Insiders have since hinted that Musk is unwilling to accommodate Rubio, Duffy and other Republicans.
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Donald Trump allegedly clarified with his cabinet that Elon Musk will now "advise" secretaries instead of making decisions without their input.
However, an insider told Vanity Fair that "Elon won't be reined in."
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While there are rumors of tension between Elon Musk and cabinet members, Donald Trump took to Truth Social to defend Musk's dynamic with Marco Rubio.
"ELON AND MARCO HAVE A GREAT RELATIONSHIP. ANY STATEMENT OTHER THAN THAT IS FAKE NEWS!!!" Trump wrote on the social media platform on Saturday, March 8.
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A source close to Donald Trump asserted that Elon Musk doesn't have free rein with DOGE.
"I think the key thing here is you saw a shift in how the president deals with Elon, when he talks about a scalpel instead of a hatchet," a Trump ally told
The Hill."There was really some consternation of, 'If I'm in charge of an agency, why am I not making these decisions?'" they added.
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Elon Musk and Donald Trump have developed a close relationship, and the president continues to lean on the tech tycoon. Musk declared his admiration for Trump on X in February.
"I love @realDonaldTrump as much as a straight man can love another man," he wrote.
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Even though sources hinted at there being tension, Donald Trump praised Elon Musk's contributions during his recent State of the Union Address.
"To further combat inflation, we will not only be reducing the cost of energy, but we'll be ending the flagrant waste of taxpayer dollars," Trump told Congress. "And to that end, I have created the brand-new Department of Government Efficiency – DOGE."
"Perhaps you've heard of it — perhaps — which is headed by Elon Musk, who is in the gallery tonight," he added.
