Elon Musk Physically Assaulted US Treasury Secretary, Says Report

A mid-April 2025 altercation between Elon Musk, the billionaire former head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), and U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent marked the beginning of a public unraveling of Musk’s alliance with US President Donald Trump. The physical confrontation, coupled with concerns about Musk’s alleged drug use and his recent public criticism of Trump, led to the feud. 

A Hallway Brawl in the White House

The incident occurred in mid-April 2025, following a heated Oval Office meeting where Musk and Bessent pitched rival candidates for acting IRS commissioner. Trump backed Bessent’s choice, frustrating Musk, who had pushed for his own pick. As the two men exited the meeting and walked down a West Wing hallway, tensions escalated. 

Steve Bannon, a longtime Trump confidant and influential podcaster, described the scene in an interview, as per a report from The Washington Post. “Scott said, ‘You’re a fraud. You’re a total fraud,’” Bannon recounted, noting that Bessent criticized Musk for failing to deliver on his promise to identify $1 trillion in wasteful government spending. In response, Musk allegedly “rammed his shoulder into Bessent’s rib cage like a rugby player,” prompting Bessent to strike back. 

Aides quickly intervened, separating the two near the national security adviser’s office, and Musk was escorted out of the West Wing. Bannon added, “President Trump heard about it and said, ‘This is too much.’”

The altercation was first reported by Axios in April 2025, which described a “chest-to-chest” shouting match over the IRS dispute. Bannon’s later account to the Daily Mail in May 2025 confirmed the physical nature of the clash, shocking observers. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt acknowledged the disagreement but minimized its significance, saying, “Disagreements are a normal part of any healthy policy process.”

Allegations of Drug Use Didn't Help 

Concerns about Musk’s consumption of Ketamine apparently compounded the fallout from the April incident. A New York Times report on May 31, 2025, alleged that Musk heavily used ketamine, a powerful anesthetic, during the 2024 campaign, to the point of causing bladder issues—a known side effect of chronic use. The report also claimed Musk used ecstasy and psychedelic mushrooms and carried a pill box containing around 20 pills, some marked as Adderall.

Musk has admitted to using prescription ketamine for depression, telling journalist Don Lemon in 2024 that he used a “small amount” biweekly. However, he denied ongoing drug use, stating, “I am NOT taking drugs!” and accusing the Times of “lying their ass off.” 

Despite his denials, Trump reportedly grew alarmed. After the feud with Musk, the American President asked his aides, if, Musk's change in behavior, is related to his use of drugs. Trump privately called Musk “a big-time drug addict” in calls with confidants, according to a source cited by The Washington Post. These concerns were a key factor in the deteriorating relationship between the two men.