Daijiworld Media Network - Washington

Washington, Mar 9: U.S. President Donald Trump has dismissed reports of a heated exchange between Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Elon Musk regarding federal workforce reductions, calling the claims "fake news."

Taking to his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump stated:

“Elon and Marco have a great relationship. Any statement other than that is fake news!!!”

His remarks come in response to a New York Times report alleging that during a Cabinet meeting on Thursday, Musk—who leads the administration’s cost-cutting efforts—criticized Rubio for not making deep enough job cuts at the State Department, reportedly accusing him of firing “nobody.”

According to the report, Rubio defended his handling of staff reductions, pointing out that over 1,500 employees had recently accepted early retirement buyouts. He allegedly responded to Musk’s remarks with sarcasm, asking, “Do you want me to rehire them just to fire them again?”

When questioned about the alleged confrontation, Trump flatly denied any tension, telling CNN:

“No clash, I was there. Elon gets along great with Marco, and they’re both doing a fantastic job.”

The Trump administration’s approach to reducing federal jobs has been under scrutiny, with concerns over aggressive layoffs in recent weeks. Addressing these concerns, Trump emphasized that job cuts would be handled with precision:

“We’re using a scalpel, not a hatchet.”

The New York Times also reported that some Cabinet members had raised concerns over Musk’s "ready, fire, aim" approach to downsizing.

Since the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)—headed by Musk—began operations in late January, more than 30,000 federal employees have reportedly been laid off. Meanwhile, the White House previously announced that 75,000 employees had voluntarily accepted a buyout package, offering eight months of salary in exchange for a deferred resignation.

As tensions rise over job cuts, the administration continues to navigate the balance between efficiency and disruption within the federal workforce.