Overview

• Elon Musk and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent engaged in a heated shouting match last week in the West Wing, with witnesses likening it to a 'WWE-style' confrontation.
• The dispute arose after Musk's choice, Gary Shapley, was briefly appointed as acting IRS commissioner, a move Bessent opposed in favor of his deputy, Michael Faulkender.
• President Trump ultimately sided with Bessent, replacing Shapley with Faulkender as acting IRS commissioner on April 18.
• White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt characterized the clash as part of a 'healthy policy process,' while tensions between Musk and senior officials persist.
• Musk has announced plans to scale back his involvement with the Department of Government Efficiency, following months of internal disputes and external criticism of his reform efforts.