Last week, Ilon Musk and US Finance Minister Scott Bessed were literally caught in their hands during a meeting at the White House, in the presence of Donald Trump.

The two men fought fiercely last Thursday, on the occasion of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the United States Federal, Public Financial Service.

“It was like two billionaires middle -aged people thought they were in the WWE (US Wrestling Championship) in the corridors of the western wing,” an eyewitness told Axios.

“They did not come to the Oval Office, but the president saw the incident. The quarrel was then transferred to the corridors, where a new round broke out, “he added.

A second witness said: “It was a strong scene. And I mean, very strong. “

‘Nice chats’ in White House corridors

The Musk -Bessed controversy was so intense, with an exchange of heavy characterizations, that an assistant had to get in between the two men to separate them.

Indicatively, according to eyewitnesses, at some point Besed shouted at Musk “Ante c @@@” and Musk replied: “Say it louder.”

Indeed, the quarrel was a few meters away from the room where Italian Prime Minister George Meloni, who visited Trump that day, was located.

White House comment

The New York Times had reported last Friday that there was a disagreement between Bessed and Musk over who would lead the IRS, but the area of ​​the fight had not been disclosed.

When the White House spokesman, Carolin Levit, was asked about the incident, she referred to her statements to the Times, saying:

“It is no secret that President Trump has set up a group of people with passion on issues concerning our country. Disagreements are a normal part of any healthy political process. In the end, however, everyone is serving the president. “

Representatives of Musk and Bessed refused to comment.

The backdrop

The relationship between Musk and Bessed has been tense since the beginning of the transition to Trump Presidency. Musk then wanted Howard Latnik to take over the finance ministry, but Trump eventually chose Bessed, placing Latnik at the Ministry of Commerce.

The two men have been constantly clashing over recruitment at the Ministry of Finance.

Also, their different personalities often trigger the tensions between them.

Musk is an entrepreneur with a “move quickly and break everything”, while Bessed is a more introverted and serious technocrat.

“Scott is so humble but he also has his limits and may be” roaring, “he said. “Scott has not been with Musk for a long time. But it is ripe, ”he said.