In a swift rebuttal to a Politico report claiming that Elon Musk was on his way out of the Trump administration, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt took to social media to refute the piece, calling it “garbage” and criticizing it for spreading baseless gossip.
The report, penned by Politico Capitol Bureau Chief Rachel Bade, suggested that growing internal frustrations and unease within the Trump administration were pushing Musk toward an exit from his special government role.
The original story, which cited anonymous sources within the Trump administration, alleged that Musk was planning to step away from his position due to concerns about his unpredictable nature and controversial public statements. According to the Politico report, some in the Trump administration considered Musk to be a “political liability” and believed that distancing from him was the most prudent move.
Leavitt, however, quickly rejected this narrative. Responding to the claims in a post on X , she bluntly declared, “This ‘scoop’ is garbage.”
She continued by pointing out that both Musk and the president had been transparent about the timeline of Musk’s involvement in the administration. Musk had previously stated that he would leave his role as a special government employee when his work on the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) project was complete—a signature initiative designed to streamline the federal government and save taxpayers billions.
The Politico report attempted to paint Musk’s relationship with the Trump administration as increasingly strained, pointing to the loss of a Musk-backed candidate in a Wisconsin Supreme Court race as evidence of his waning influence. It also noted past communications hiccups that supposedly created tension behind the scenes.
Despite this, the article did acknowledge that Trump had consistently praised Musk, even referring to him as a “patriot” and “a friend” during a recent cabinet meeting.
Despite any alleged friction, Musk’s work has continued to be seen as vital to the Trump administration’s efforts to reduce government waste. Musk, who has been working closely with DOGE, has publicly touted the project’s potential to save the federal government over $1 trillion. These ambitious savings are hard for even critics to dismiss, further complicating the narrative that Musk’s presence in the administration is a problem, according to Trending Politics.
Moreover, Trump has made it clear that he values Musk’s contributions and intends to keep him around for as long as possible. In a cabinet meeting just days prior, Trump emphasized his appreciation for Musk, acknowledging the difficult challenges Musk had faced, including threats to his life and vandalism of Tesla vehicles.
Musk himself, when asked about his future plans, responded optimistically, suggesting that the work to reduce the federal deficit by $1 trillion would be accomplished soon.
Leavitt’s pushback against the Politico report came on the heels of a broader attempt by the media to stir discord between Musk and the administration. However, Harrison Fields, a White House spokesperson, reinforced that Musk has been integral to implementing Trump’s agenda.
He stated that Musk would continue working on his projects for the president “until the President says otherwise,” a message that reinforced the ongoing collaboration between the two.
While media reports have suggested false narratives, including tension between Musk and Trump, their public statements and actions show continued collaboration and alignment.
