Trump Shuts Down ‘Troublemaker’ NBC Reporter Trying to Divide Elon and Rubio [WATCH]

President Donald Trump responded Friday to reports alleging a dispute between Secretary of State Marco Rubio and tech billionaire Elon Musk during a cabinet meeting, dismissing the narrative pushed by the media.

The reports, originating from The New York Times, claimed that Trump had to intervene when tensions flared between Rubio and Musk over staffing and the responsibilities of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

According to the Times, the exchange took place in the Cabinet Room of the White House, where Musk reportedly criticized Rubio for failing to reduce the size of his staff.

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The report claims that Musk accused Rubio of firing “nobody” and sarcastically suggested that the only person Rubio had dismissed was someone from Musk’s own department.

The article further states that Rubio had been upset over Musk’s decision to shut down an agency under his oversight—the United States Agency for International Development.

The Times also reported that Musk dismissed Rubio’s concerns and quipped that while the Secretary of State was “good on TV,” he was not effective elsewhere.

The report describes Trump as sitting back and observing the exchange before stepping in on Rubio’s behalf.

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On Friday, during a press gaggle in the Oval Office regarding an executive order on a FIFA World Cup task force, Trump was asked about the alleged confrontation.

While he did not confirm or deny specific details of the exchange, he downplayed the significance of disagreements within his administration.

Trump acknowledged that differences of opinion are inevitable when strong leaders are gathered in the same room, particularly when determining government priorities and restructuring bureaucratic agencies.

DOGE, which was rebranded from the Obama-era United States Digital Service, has been at the center of discussions over government efficiency and spending.

Musk, who leads the department, has been tasked with identifying waste, fraud, and abuse within federal agencies.

The structure of DOGE continues to evolve, and adjustments to its responsibilities have been made as needed.

Despite reports of tensions, The New York Times also noted that “Cabinet officials generally like the concept of what Elon Musk set out to do—reducing waste, fraud, and abuse in government—but have been frustrated by the hacksaw approach to upending the government and the lack of consistent coordination.”

While media outlets have framed the reported dispute as a sign of division within the administration, Trump’s response suggests that internal debates are a natural part of governance.

Reporter asks about reported clashes at cabinet meeting between Secretary Rubio and Elon Musk.

President Trump: “No clash. I was there. You’re just a troublemaker…Elon gets along great with Marco. They’re both doing a fantastic job. There is no clash.” pic.twitter.com/kYDgCyAtSY

— CSPAN (@cspan) March 7, 2025

Discussions over the role of DOGE and its impact on government agencies are expected to continue, with the goal of making government operations more cost-effective and efficient.

As the Trump administration pushes forward with its efforts to reduce government waste, Musk and cabinet officials will likely continue to have discussions—some heated—about the best path forward.

However, the ultimate goal remains the same: bringing accountability to Washington and ensuring taxpayer dollars are spent responsibly.

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