A new report from The Washington Post is shedding light on the dramatic unraveling of the relationship between President Donald Trump and tech billionaire Elon Musk — a falling-out that appears to involve personal insults, policy clashes, and even a physical altercation inside the White House.
Although their feud only recently erupted into public view, the Post’s reporting — based on interviews with 17 sources close to the matter — reveals that tensions had been simmering for months before Musk publicly accused President Trump of being named in the Jeffrey Epstein files.
One former White House insider told the Post that Trump privately referred to Musk as a “big-time drug addict” and criticized him for an alleged altercation with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, calling the incident “too much.” The reported fight is said to have occurred inside the West Wing during a policy discussion over leadership of the IRS.
Steve Bannon, a longtime Trump adviser, confirmed to the Post that the clash began after Musk and Bessent presented competing recommendations for who should head the Internal Revenue Service. After Trump chose Bessent’s pick, the disagreement escalated. As the two men left the Oval Office, Musk allegedly slammed his shoulder into Bessent’s ribs “like a rugby player,” prompting Bessent to strike back. Musk was reportedly “shuffled out of the West Wing” shortly afterward.
While neither the White House nor Musk has commented directly on the report, Musk’s recent public jab — suggesting Trump is named in the Epstein files — appears to have pushed their private feud into full view. The Epstein accusation, delivered via Musk’s platform X (formerly Twitter), stunned political observers and further distanced the Tesla and SpaceX CEO from the president.
The detailed revelations highlight the breakdown of what had once been a strategic alliance between two of the most powerful figures in business and politics. With Trump back in the White House after winning the 2024 election, and Musk continuing to wield massive influence through his companies and social media platform, their feud may have broad political and cultural ripple effects.
Source: The Washington Post
