Overview

• Elon Musk and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent engaged in a heated shouting match in the West Wing over IRS leadership, reportedly in earshot of President Trump.
• The dispute arose after Musk backed Gary Shapley for acting IRS commissioner, while Bessent pushed for his deputy, Michael Faulkender, to fill the role.
• Witnesses described the confrontation as loud and intense, with Musk accusing Bessent of being a 'Soros agent' and Bessent criticizing Musk’s management of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
• Trump ultimately replaced Shapley with Bessent’s preferred candidate, Faulkender, signaling Bessent’s victory in the power struggle.
• Musk has since announced plans to scale back his involvement with DOGE, though tensions within Trump’s administration remain unresolved.