Hamza Adam 
The White House on Wednesday didn’t deny reports that a debate between tech billionaire Elon Musk and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent over the IRS commissioner erupted into a shouting match.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt downplayed the Oval Office explosion between two of President Donald Trump’s top MAGA allies in brief comments to reporters without taking any questions.
“Look, there are disagreements amongst the president’s staff and Cabinet sometimes,” Leavitt said Wednesday. “But we think that’s part of the healthy debate process, and everybody knows that ultimately, President Trump is the decision maker.”
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Leavitt’s remarks came hours after reports emerged about the reported clash revolving around Bessent taking issue with Musk hiring someone to run the IRS after Trump ousted the agency’s acting commissioner.
CNN’s Kaitlan Collins said the move to place one of Bessent’s deputies into the IRS role was made while the Treasury secretary was traveling out of the country. She referred to the disagreement as “a major one,” but reminded viewers that Musk said he would dial back his White House role in May.
“There are certainly several cabinet secretaries that he has feuded with and struggled with when it comes to the power balance between their departments, and they are in Senate-confirmed positions, and what he is trying to do,” Collins said of Musk. “Obviously, some people would welcome that.”