Fed-up Trump official rips into Elon Musk: ‘The most irritating person I’ve ever had to deal with’

Elon Musk's presence in Trump's administration is reportedly unwelcome, with senior officials expressing frustration over his behavior and attempts at humor.

Updated on: Apr 13, 2025, 07:05:00 IST

By Sanya Jain

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Elon Musk may have a prominent seat at the table of Donald Trump’s administration, but a recent Rolling Stone report indicates he may not have a lot of friends there. Senior Cabinet members are reportedly growing tired of his behaviour, including his attempts to be funny and his deep-seated belief that he is smarter than everyone else.

Elon Musk (R) attends cabinet meeting with US President Donald Trump in the Cabinet Room of the White House on April 10, 2025, in Washington, DC. Trump on Thursday warned of the "transition cost" from his tariff policies, as Wall Street stocks fell again over the worsening trade war with China. (Photo by Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP) (AFP)

At least three officials of the Trump administration spoke to Rolling Stone about their frustration with the Tesla billionaire.

Long list of complaints

“I have been in the same room with Elon, and he always tries to be funny. And he’s not funny. Like, at all,” said a senior Trump administration official. “He makes these jokes and little asides and smiles and then looks almost hurt if you don’t lap up his humor.

“I keep using the word ‘annoying’; a lot of people who have to deal with him do. But the word doesn’t do the situation justice. Elon just thinks he’s smarter than everyone else in the room and acts like it, even when it’s clear he doesn’t know what he’s talking about,” the official said.

This White House official and two others confirmed that Trump lieutenants have walked out of important meetings because of Elon Musk. Some have even wondered whether his behaviour could be fueled by drugs.

“Talking to the guy is sometimes like listening to really rusty nails on a chalkboard,” the senior Trump administration official told Rolling Stone. “He’s just the most irritating person I’ve ever had to deal with, and that is saying something.”

Fed up with Musk, some State Department officials have taken to calling him “Crazy Uncle Elon” behind his back. Meanwhile, Secretary of State Marco Rubio is said to be barely able to hide his disdain for the DOGE chief.

(Also read: Elon Musk slams 40-hour work week, internet fires back: ‘This clown plays video games half the day’)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sanya Jain
Sanya Jain is an Assistant Editor with Hindustan Times Digital. She has nearly a decade of experience in covering offbeat stories that speak to the everyday experience - from viral videos to human interest copies that spark conversation. Her interests stretch across business, pop culture, social media trends, entertainment and global affairs. Before joining Hindustan Times, Sanya spent two years with Moneycontrol and five years with NDTV. She holds an undergraduate degree in English literature from St Stephen’s College, Delhi, and a master’s in journalism from the Xavier Institute of Communications, Mumbai. Sanya has a sharp eye for spotting emerging trends and looking for newsworthy angles to elevate viral posts into meaningful narratives. She was the first one, for example, to cover Narayana Murthy’s remark on 70-hour work weeks that sparked a national conversation. She is equally at ease writing about business leaders as about the common man, about issues of national importance and memes that amuse social media. Sanya enjoys speaking with content creators, newsmakers and entrepreneurs to transform everyday moments into engaging, slice-of-life stories that resonate with readers. When she is not working, Sanya can be found curled up with a good book. Born and raised in Lucknow, she has spent the last several years in Delhi. She is deeply interested in animal welfare and now spends a lot of her time running after her destructive orange cat.Read More

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