Trump Warns Cabinet: Respect Elon Musk or Be Removed

President Donald Trump made it clear during his first Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, February 26, that any Cabinet member who does not respect Elon Musk will be dismissed.

Speaking before his top officials, Trump praised Musk for his leadership of DOGE, an initiative the president claims has saved American taxpayers $65 billion by cutting jobs and programs. Trump called Musk “tremendously successful” and commended him for making personal sacrifices to lead the effort.

When asked about reports suggesting some Cabinet members were uneasy about Musk’s influence, Trump pushed back. “Anybody unhappy with Elon? If you are, we’ll throw them out of here,” he declared, turning to his team. Cabinet members, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Attorney General Pam Bondi, quickly shook their heads. Trump insisted his administration held “a lot of respect” for Musk, adding, “Some disagree a little bit, but for the most part, I think everyone is not only happy, they’re thrilled.”

Musk, in turn, praised the president’s choices for top positions. “I do not give false praise,” Musk said. “This is an incredible group of people. I don’t think such a talented team has ever been assembled. It is literally the best Cabinet the country has ever had.”

Trump’s strong defense of Musk comes amid reports of growing frustration among Cabinet members and lawmakers. According to CNN, Musk’s management style, particularly his recent directive requiring all federal employees to submit a weekly email detailing their work, has caused friction. Cabinet heads and members of Congress reportedly were not given prior notice about the mandate, which threatened termination for noncompliance. A senior White House official, speaking anonymously, acknowledged the rollout “caused some headaches.”

However, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed concerns, stating that “nobody was caught off guard.” When challenged about whether Cabinet secretaries had prior knowledge, she questioned the credibility of anonymous sources. “Probably career bureaucrats leaked that,” she suggested, reiterating that the administration was united. Leavitt added that secretaries who instructed their staff not to respond to Musk’s email did so out of national security concerns. “It’s pretty common sense,” she concluded.