Elon Musk, Scott Bessent Physical Fight Erupts Oval Office

In mid-April, a physical altercation erupted in the White House between Elon Musk, then head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent following a tense Oval Office meeting with President Donald Trump. The fight began after Trump sided with Bessent over Musk in choosing an acting IRS commissioner, leading to an exchange of insults in the hallway, including Bessent accusing Musk of failing to deliver on promised government spending cuts. Musk responded by ramming his shoulder into Bessent's ribcage 'like a rugby player,' prompting Bessent to hit Musk back before others intervened to stop the fight. Musk was subsequently escorted out of the West Wing, with Trump later commenting the incident was 'too much.' The brawl marked a significant deterioration in Musk's relationship with Trump, culminating in public disputes and threats between the two. Musk later appeared with a black eye, which he attributed to a playful punch from his son, though speculation linked it to the confrontation with Bessent.