Elon Musk made a headline-grabbing appearance at Donald Trump’s cabinet meeting, sporting a bold statement piece—a cap reading, “Trump was right about everything.” The billionaire tech mogul, who has been at the center of recent political clashes, took his seat at the far end of the table, wedged between CIA Director John Ratcliffe and trade representative Jamieson Greer.
Musk, unofficially aligned with the administration, has played a key role in the Department of Government Efficiency (Doge), a task force dedicated to eliminating fraud. His efforts earned him high praise from Attorney General Pam Bondi.
“If you committed fraud, we’re coming after you. Thank you, Elon, for that,” Bondi declared, signaling Musk’s growing influence in the administration despite lacking an official cabinet position.
This meeting marked a stark contrast from last month’s fiery showdown, where Musk faced backlash from Trump’s cabinet members. Transport Secretary Sean Duffy previously lashed out at the billionaire over his aggressive cost-cutting measures, particularly Musk’s push to reduce air traffic controllers amid a nationwide shortage. Meanwhile, Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins criticized Doge’s budget cuts for allegedly causing disruptions in VA hospitals.
However, Monday’s meeting took on a far more collaborative tone. Duffy acknowledged previous tensions but emphasized that progress had been made.
“We’ve had a few bumps in the road, but the last three weeks have been much better,” Duffy said, before addressing the media’s portrayal of the previous confrontation. “Some of the press had comments about the last meeting, but Elon and I had a great call afterward. Sometimes, the reporting can be a little off.”
Musk also revealed the darker side of his team’s work, sharing that Doge employees had become targets of threats.
“Thank you to the Doge team, who are literally getting death threats and being accosted,” Musk stated. “A lot of them are just kids trying to help out. They could be making millions elsewhere, but instead, they’re earning peanuts and receiving death threats.”
Meanwhile, Trump shifted focus to foreign affairs, announcing that a revenue-sharing deal between the U.S. and Ukraine over critical minerals is in the works. He also hinted at broader negotiations, including a potential Black Sea ceasefire, ongoing power plant ownership talks, and territorial discussions between Ukraine and Russia.
“We’re talking about territory, lines of demarcation, power—who owns what,” Trump said. “Some people say the United States should own the power plants because we have the expertise.”
The president also took a moment to praise Musk, calling him “a patriot” who has never asked for anything in return. With Musk’s increasing involvement in Trump’s inner circle, one question remains—how deep will his influence go?
