Trump snaps at NBC reporter for asking about Marco Rubio and Elon Musk's clash: 'You're a troublemaker'

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump reportedly rebuked an NBC reporter who asked him about Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s alleged heated exchange with Elon Musk at a Thursday, March 6, closed-door Cabinet meeting.

The president apparently snapped at the media person on Friday after signing an executive order to create a FIFA World Cup Task Force in the White House, as reported by Fox News.

Donald Trump claims there was 'no clash' between Marco Rubio and Elon Musk

As Donald Trump was taking questions from the media, NBC News' Gabe Gutierrez asked, "Some details have come out about your Cabinet meeting with Elon Musk, and some clashes potentially between Secretary Rubio."

Without wasting time, the MAGA spearhead fired back, "No clash. I was there — you’re just a troublemaker. And you’re not supposed to be asking that question, because we’re talking about the World Cup."

The 78-year-old further insisted that "Elon gets along great with Marco, and they’re both doing a fantastic job. There is no clash."

Trump then asked Gutierrez which media house he’s from, the latter replied, "NBC." "Ugh, no wonder. That's enough. NBC," he added in disdain. 

The New York Times reported about Elon Musk and Marco Rubio's clash

This came after The New York Times claimed in a report that the Tesla CEO lashed out at Marco Rubio for firing "nobody" except a staff member from his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) during a closed-door Cabinet meeting on Thursday, which included Donald Trump and 20 others. 

It went on to state that Rubio, who has apparently been "privately furious" for weeks over the tech billionaire's decisions regarding the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), accused Musk of being untruthful.

He also questioned him about "more than 1,500 State Department officials who took early retirement in buyouts" and asked Musk if he "wanted him to rehire all those people just so he could make a show of firing them again."

Donald Trump appeared to side with Marco Rubio during heated meeting

The NYT also revealed that while Marco Rubio and Elon Musk clash, Donald Trump appeared to take the secretary of state's side as he asked the SpaceX founder to "be a bit more refined in its approach."

"From now on, he said, the secretaries would be in charge; the Musk team would only advise," the report added. As per the NYT, the meeting laid bare the rising tensions within Trump's team.

Taking to Truth Social on Thursday, the commander-in-chief wrote about the meeting, "The Golden Age of America has just begun! Over the past six weeks, our Administration has delivered on promises like no Administration before it, always putting America First!"

"DOGE has been an incredible success, and now that we have my Cabinet in place, I have instructed the Secretaries and Leadership to work with DOGE on Cost Cutting measures and Staffing," he added. 

Trump stressed, "As the Secretaries learn about, and understand, the people working for the various Departments, they can be very precise as to who will remain, and who will go. We say the 'scalpel' rather than the 'hatchet.' The combination of them, Elon, DOGE, and other great people will be able to do things at a historic level."

"We just had a meeting with most of the Secretaries, Elon, and others, and it was a very positive one. It’s very important that we cut levels down to where they should be, but it’s also important to keep the best and most productive people," he noted. 

Internet slams Donald Trump for lashing out at NBC reporter

Meanwhile, people online weren't pleased with how Donald Trump approached the question broached by the NBC reporter.

One wrote, "Free speech in action," and another said, "Trump simply shouldn‘t be US president."

"Chaos, chaos, chaos just like his incompetent first term," a person declared, while someone else jibed, "Keep asking those uncomfortable questions, eventually he'll pop live on TV and I've got plenty of popcorn."

"Is that the same orange man who is accusing Europe for not having free speech?" an individual asked. One more simply wrote, "Free speech champion. Disgraceful." 

"Free speech as long you ask questions I want to answer," read another comment. 

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.