'The most irritating person': Elon Musk's 'erratic behaviour' draws ire of Trump administration officials

Musk has had several clashes with senior Trump administration officials and the billionaire's behaviour has reportedly earned him the moniker 'crazy uncle Elon'.

The world’s richest man and influential tech entrepreneur, Elon Musk, has maintained close ties with the US government, which has only gotten stronger since Trump took office in January of this year. He has enjoyed a prominent position in the government as the de facto head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Despite these close ties, reports suggest that there is a growing rift between Musk and prominent White House officials. This is largely due to his personal conduct and also due to concerns surrounding his leadership approach, decision-making, and erratic behaviour.

Musk’s role in the Trump administration

DOGE, with Elon Musk as its chief, was given the primary aim of improving government efficiency. This was to be done through restructuring administrative processes, reducing government expenditure, and the introduction of corporate strategies to ensure the streamlining of federal operations.

However, DOGE, and by extension Musk, have been more closely associated with large-scale layoffs in various departments of the government, department consolidations, etc. The implementation of such measures, supposed to position DOGE as a powerful internal watchdog agency, has instead had the effect of souring the public perception of Musk and the department.

Backlash against Musk by government officials

According to sources cited by Rolling Stone, many government officials, some of senior stature, have repeatedly described Musk as “irritating” and difficult to work with. The report also explained that many government officials find interacting with him similar to “listening to nails on a chalkboard.”

Reportedly, this sentiment is fuelled largely by Musk's repeated failed attempts at humour, his dismissive tone, and his insistence on intellectual superiority.

The Tesla chief's state of mind during official meetings was also questioned. Reportedly, some government officials stated that the billionaire appeared “high”, prompting discussions about his drug use.

These allegations have been denied by Musk’s legal team. A report by The Wall Street Journal that alleged that Musk frequently used substances such as LSD, ecstasy, and psychedelic mushrooms was vehemently denied by the entrepreneur. He maintains that the only substance he uses is ketamine, which was prescribed to him and is commonly used for depression management.

Reasons behind fallout

Elon Musk’s role in DOGE, which made him oversee the termination of a large number of government employees, has caused his controversial leadership style to draw significant criticism from lawmakers and government officials. Furthermore, his decision to direct government employees to respond to an email asking what they did last week was heavily criticised for its overly hostile and corporate tone.

Musk has also had multiple conflicts with senior government officials. Tensions were at a publicly visible peak after Elon’s clash with Trump’s senior trade advisor, Peter Navarro. Musk called him a “moron” on social media after he downplayed Tesla’s significance in the USA by calling it “just a car assembler.”

Marco Rubio, the Secretary of State, has also reportedly been a vocal critic of Musk, referring to him as “crazy uncle Elon” in private.

Intensifying calls for Musk’s dismissal

Elon Musk has played a significant role in Trump’s 2024 election campaign, shelling out approximately $290 million for election campaigns. His financial influence has further raised concerns among officials regarding his true motives and whether his policymaking styles align with the broader goals of the US federal government.

Due to such concerns and growing internal dissatisfaction, there has been a lot of speculation regarding Musk’s continued presence in the Trump administration. While no official action has been taken so far, growing internal conflicts and an unfavourable public opinion regarding Musk may end up acting as catalysts for efforts to curtail his authority.