Fists Fly at the White House: Elon Musk and Treasury Secretary Throw Down in Oval Office Showdown

Elon Musk physically assaulted U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent during a heated argument at the White House in April, according to a bombshell report published by The Washington Post. The incident, which allegedly took place outside the Oval Office, marks the beginning of a dramatic rift between Musk and President Donald Trump.

Steve Bannon, Trump’s former chief strategist and a longtime critic of Musk, described the confrontation in detail. The altercation reportedly occurred during a meeting where Musk and Bessent presented conflicting proposals for restructuring federal income tax policy. Trump ultimately sided with Bessent’s plan, leading to a verbal exchange that quickly escalated.

“Scott looked him in the eye and said, ‘You’re a fraud. A complete fraud,’” Bannon recounted, referring to Musk’s aggressive plan to slash $1 trillion in federal spending as part of his role overseeing government efficiency.

The verbal barbs soon turned physical. According to the report, Musk, the world’s richest man and head of Tesla and X (formerly Twitter), shoulder-charged Bessent “like a rugby player.” The Treasury Secretary allegedly struck back, and aides had to intervene to separate them.

Several West Wing staffers reportedly witnessed the altercation. Musk was swiftly escorted out of the building by security.

“President Trump was briefed on the incident and said, ‘That’s too much,’” Bannon told the Post, adding that the president has since grown weary of Musk’s increasing involvement in his political operations and 2024 campaign.