Marco Rubio and Elon Musk unite to support Ukraine and reform U.S. foreign policy
Kumar Shivam | Mar 11, 2025, 02:21 IST
( Image credit : Agencies )
Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Elon Musk have aligned on U.S. support for Ukraine and aggressive government cuts, despite clashing over staffing reductions. Their tensions surfaced in a White House meeting, where Trump intervened to balance cost-cutting with governance. Musk’s broader push to dismantle federal programs continues to create friction within the administration.
Marco Rubio, a seasoned politician and former U.S. senator from Florida, has served as secretary of state since the start of Trump’s second term. Known for his strong stance on foreign policy and conservative reforms, he has been a vocal advocate for reducing government spending and streamlining federal agencies.
Recently, Rubio and Elon Musk joined forces to push back against criticism of U.S. support for Ukraine. Musk, whose Starlink satellite internet service has been critical to Ukraine’s military operations, warned that frontline efforts could collapse without it. Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski criticized Musk’s remarks as a veiled threat, noting that Poland pays millions annually for Starlink services in Ukraine and could seek alternatives if SpaceX became unreliable. Rubio quickly defended Musk, denying any threats to Ukraine’s access and emphasizing Starlink’s vital role in the war effort.
Their collaboration extended to domestic policy on Monday when Rubio publicly thanked DOGE for cutting 83% of USAID programs, terminating over 5,000 contracts, and shifting remaining projects to the State Department. Musk responded, calling the move "tough but necessary" and acknowledging his work with Rubio.
However, their partnership has not been without friction. According to a Daily Mail UK report, the two clashed during a recent White House Cabinet meeting. Musk accused Rubio of failing to cut enough State Department staff, sarcastically noting that the only person fired appeared to be a DOGE employee. Rubio fired back, questioning whether early retirements counted as layoffs and jokingly asking if he should rehire staff just to fire them again. The heated exchange continued until Trump stepped in, praising Rubio’s work while urging a balanced approach to workforce reductions.
The meeting underscored Trump’s challenge in managing DOGE’s aggressive cost-cutting, which has disrupted federal agencies. While Trump stressed that he did not want "good people" eliminated indiscriminately, he warned that DOGE would intervene if agencies failed to act.
This latest dispute highlights growing tensions within the administration as Musk pushes to dismantle federal programs. Earlier, he also clashed with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy over outdated FAA equipment, further underscoring the friction between Musk’s cost-cutting agenda and Cabinet officials' governance priorities.
Recently, Rubio and Elon Musk joined forces to push back against criticism of U.S. support for Ukraine. Musk, whose Starlink satellite internet service has been critical to Ukraine’s military operations, warned that frontline efforts could collapse without it. Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski criticized Musk’s remarks as a veiled threat, noting that Poland pays millions annually for Starlink services in Ukraine and could seek alternatives if SpaceX became unreliable. Rubio quickly defended Musk, denying any threats to Ukraine’s access and emphasizing Starlink’s vital role in the war effort.
Their collaboration extended to domestic policy on Monday when Rubio publicly thanked DOGE for cutting 83% of USAID programs, terminating over 5,000 contracts, and shifting remaining projects to the State Department. Musk responded, calling the move "tough but necessary" and acknowledging his work with Rubio.
However, their partnership has not been without friction. According to a Daily Mail UK report, the two clashed during a recent White House Cabinet meeting. Musk accused Rubio of failing to cut enough State Department staff, sarcastically noting that the only person fired appeared to be a DOGE employee. Rubio fired back, questioning whether early retirements counted as layoffs and jokingly asking if he should rehire staff just to fire them again. The heated exchange continued until Trump stepped in, praising Rubio’s work while urging a balanced approach to workforce reductions.
The meeting underscored Trump’s challenge in managing DOGE’s aggressive cost-cutting, which has disrupted federal agencies. While Trump stressed that he did not want "good people" eliminated indiscriminately, he warned that DOGE would intervene if agencies failed to act.
This latest dispute highlights growing tensions within the administration as Musk pushes to dismantle federal programs. Earlier, he also clashed with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy over outdated FAA equipment, further underscoring the friction between Musk’s cost-cutting agenda and Cabinet officials' governance priorities.