The alleged Musk-Rubio feud and the bigger DOGE picture: Bias Breakdown

WELCOME TO BIAS BREAKDOWN.

I’M YOUR HOST KARAH RUCKER.

THE NEW YORK TIMES PUBLISHED A REPORT DETAILING WHAT IT CALLED AN “EXPLOSIVE CLASH” BETWEEN ELON MUSK AND SECRETARY OF STATE MARCO RUBIO BEHIND A CLOSED DOOR CABINET MEETING.

PRESIDENT TRUMP IS CALLING THE REPORT MADE UP.

AND AS EXPECTED, THE MEDIA – HAS TAKEN SIDES.

NEWS OUTLETS ON THE LEFT ARE SPOTLIGHTING THE CLAIMS INSIDE THE TIMES EXCLUSIVE WHILE NEWS OUTLETS ON THE RIGHT ARE HIGHLIGHTING THE CALLS FROM THE WHITE HOUSE – THAT THE REPORT IS FALSE.

WE’LL BREAKDOWN WHAT THE TIMES IS REPORTING FROM INSIDE THE CABINET MEETING  –

AND PROVIDE CLARITY TO THE BIGGER PICTURE: 

HOW THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION PLANS TO DOWNSIZE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

THE ROLE OF ELON MUSK AND DOGE IN DOING SO.

AND HOW NEWS OUTLETS ON THE LEFT AND RIGHT ARE FRAMING FACTS TO PERSUADE READERS TO FOLLOW THEIR POLITICAL PERSPECTIVE.

THAT’S THE FOCUS OF TODAY’S BIAS BREAKDOWN.

REPORTS OF CLASHING INSIDE A CABINET MEETING LAST THURSDAY WITH ELON MUSK AND PRESIDENT TRUMP PRESENT HAVE LED TO CONFLICTING NEWS REPORTS.

AND NARRATIVES OF THE STORY – ARE TOLD VERY DIFFERENTLY AMONG NETWORKS WITH A LEFT AND RIGHT POLITICAL BIAS.

HERE’S A CLIP FROM MSNBC AND CNN ON THE LEFT – POINTING TO CHAOS.

“This is an insane way to run a government. And i think what you’re hearing and feeling is voters back home have had it up to here with this chaos and incompetence.   

“Elon musk is an unelected man child running around with a pretend chainsaw playing at politics” 

WHILE NEWS OUTLETS ON THE RIGHT LIKE FOX NEWS – REPORT IT THIS WAY.

“The media’s never run a business so they don’t know how to cover the trump presidency, they cover it like a soap opera instead of a business. the press trying to use that to drive a wedge between musk and trump.”

“There is a president overseeing all of this where there’s not really this craziness where the left is creating this antagonist.” 

LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT CONTRASTING HEADLINES FROM NEWS OUTLETS ON THE LEFT AND RIGHT – STARTING WITH THIS NEW YORK TIMES REPORT –

WITH THE HEADLINE “INSIDE THE EXPLOSIVE MEETING WHERE TRUMP OFFICIALS CLASHED WITH ELON MUSK.”

MSNBC, THE DAILY BEAST, AND THE INDEPENDENT WERE AMONG NEWS OUTLETS WITH A LEFT POLITICAL BIAS PUBLISHING THEIR OWN WRITE-UPS –

CITING THE NEW YORK TIMES REPORT.

MSNBC WROTE “ELON MUSK AND MARCO RUBIO DRAMA SPILLS OUT IN EXPLOSIVE MEETING”.

THE DAILY BEAST – “RUBIO MELTS DOWN AT MUSK IN FURIOUS SHOUTING MATCH.”

AND THE INDEPENDENT – “RUBIO UNLEASHES HIS FURY ON MUSK.”

WHILE LEFT-LEANING NEWS OUTLETS SPOTLIGHT THE ALLEGED CHAOS  – RIGHT-LEANING NEWS OUTLETS FOCUSED ON THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S **REACTION TO THE REPORTS.

FOX NEWS’ HEADLINE READ “Karoline Leavitt shuts down ‘pitiful’ Rubio-Musk feud rumors fueled by mainstream media”.

THE NEW YORK POST WROTE “TRUMP DEFENDS RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN RUBIO AND MUSK”

AND THE EPOCH TIMES – “TRUMP DENIES MUSK-RUBIO FEUD, CALLS IT FAKE NEWS.”

LEFT-LEANING NEWS OUTLETS GAVE LEGS TO THE NEW YORK TIMES REPORT –

RIGHT-LEANING OUTLETS – DISMISSING IT.

NOW – TO WHAT THE NEW YORK TIMES REPORTED.

THE TIMES CITED “FIVE PEOPLE WITH KNOWLEDGE OF THE EVENTS” AS THEIR SOURCES.

IT’S UNCLEAR WHO THE TIMES SPOKE WITH –

WHETHER IT BE PEOPLE PHYSICALLY AT THE MEETING –

OR CABINET OFFICIALS WHO HEARD SECOND-HAND HOW THE MEETING WENT.

HERE’S A FEW LINES IN THE TIMES PIECE – DESCRIBING HOW THE MEETING UNFOLDED.

“MARCO RUBIO WAS INCENSED…SEATED BESIDE THE PRESIDENT AND LISTENING TO A LITANY OF ATTACKS FROM THE RICHEST MAN IN THE WORLD.”

“ELON MUSK WAS LETTING MR. RUBIO HAVE IT – ACCUSING HIM OF FAILING TO SLASH HIS STAFF.” 

“IN THE EXTRAORDINARY CABINET MEETING ON THURSDAY IN FRONT OF PRESIDENT TRUMP AND AROUND 20 OTHERS – DETAILS OF WHICH HAVE NOT BEEN REPORTED BEFORE – MR.RUBIO GOT HIS GRIEVANCES OFF HIS CHEST.”

MUSK “told Mr. Rubio he was “good on TV,” with the clear subtext being that he was not good for much else.”

“the argument dragged on for an uncomfortable time.”

“The president made clear he still supported the mission of the Musk initiative. But now was the time, he said, 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 session laid bare the tensions within Mr. Trump’s team.”

FOLLOWING THE TIMES REPORT, PRESIDENT TRUMP, ELON MUSK, RUBIO’S OFFICE, AND OTHER CABINET OFFICIALS RELEASED STATEMENTS CALLING THE MEETING PRODUCTIVE – AND REPORTS OF A FEUD FALSE.

HERE’S THE WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY BEING ASKED ABOUT THE REPORT BY FOX NEWS.

“Both elon and rubio are doing an incredible job in their respective goals…he’s put together an incredible team and i think its pitiful that the mainstream media is working overtime to try and divide president trump from elon and from other members of his cabinet. But they’re attempts are failing, everyone is working as one team toward one goal to make america great again.”

AND THE PRESIDENT HIMSELF WAS ASKED BY NBC NEWS ABOUT THE TIMES REPORT DURING AN EXECUTIVE ORDER SIGNING CREATING A TASK FORCE FOR THE 2026 FIFA WORLD CUP.

TAKE A LISTEN.

“Mr. President, since you last spoke about it yesterday, some details have come out about your cabinet meeting with elon musk and some clashes potentially with secretary rubio –

“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. Elon gets along great with Marco and they’re both doing a fantastic job. There is no clash.”

HOWEVER – SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE USED THE TIMES REPORT AS INSPIRATION FOR SNL’S COLD OPEN OVER THE WEEKEND.

“This week the new york times broke the story of an explosive Trump cabinet meeting which ended in a shouting match between marco rubio and elon musk.” 

“I can’t believe this is the guy you’ve given access to the entire government. He’s not an elected official. I know you are but what am I? That’s enough.”

“Elon stay in your lane. You’re not the boss.”

IT’S COMMON FOR NEWS OUTLETS TO PUBLISH EXCLUSIVES CITING ANONYMOUS SOURCES – AND IT COMES WITH HIGH REWARD AND HIGH RISK.

THE **REWARD? YOU GET THE SCOOP. THEIR STORY IS EVERYWHERE.

DOZENS OF NEWS SITES REGURGITATED THE CLAIMS THE TIMES REPORTED –

CITING THEM FOR THE SO CALLED INSIDE INTEL ON HOW THE MEETING ALLEGEDLY LED TO A MUSK-RUBIO RIFT.

THE **RISK OF USING ANONYMOUS SOURCES – IS CREDIBILITY CAN EASILY BE QUESTIONED.

ALL SIDES – A MEDIA WATCHDOG GROUP – DISCUSSES THIS RISK UNDER ITS EXAMPLE OF MEDIA BIAS BY “OMISSION OF SOURCE ATTRIBUTION” –

STATING It is sometimes useful or necessary to use anonymous sources, because insider information is only available if the reporter agrees to keep their identity secret. But responsible journalists should be aware and make it clear that they are offering second-hand information on sensitive matters. This fact doesn’t necessarily make the statements false, but it does make them less than reliable.

RECENT MEDIA REPORTS SUGGEST MUSK’S POWERS WERE “REINED IN” BY PRESIDENT TRUMP DURING THIS CABINET MEETING.

“President trump announced this afternoon – elon musk will need to consult with cabinet secretaries before firing more federal workers.” “Meanwhile the president does appear to be reining in elon musk’s layoff efforts.”

“President trump is finally reining in elon musk after the unelected billionaire received a smackdown from cabinet members.” 

WHILE TRUMP SAID COMING OUT OF THE MEETING – THE APPROACH TO GOVERNMENT CUTS WILL BE A SCALPEL RATHER THAN A HATCHET –

AND REITERATED CABINET SECRETARIES HAVE FINAL SAY ON CUTS –

THIS DOESN’T CHANGE MUSK’S ROLE.

BECAUSE SINCE BEING TASKED WITH LEADING DOGE ON DAY ONE OF TRUMP’S PRESIDENCY – MUSK HASN’T FIRED ANYONE OR CUT PROGRAMS – BECAUSE HE’S NEVER HAD THE AUTHORITY TO DO SO.

THIS MIGHT SOUND DIFFERENT THAN WHAT YOU’VE HEARD ON TV.

“As billionaire elon musk fires federal employees left and right, often it appears with little understanding of what they actually do.”

“The latest casualties of elon musk’s chainsaw, thousands of irs workers. Their layoffs hit roughly 7 percent of the workforce this week.”

“Elon musk fired them for poor performance. He has ruined these people’s lives.”

HERE’S SOME OF THE KEY **FACTS THAT WILL HOPEFULLY GIVE YOU A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT MUSK AND DOGE’S ROLES ARE IN TRUMP’S GOAL OF CUTTING GOVERNMENT WASTE.

PRESIDENT TRUMP DECIDED ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL – HE WOULD CREATE A GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY TASK FORCE – AND HE WOULD TAP ELON MUSK TO LEAD IT.

FAST FORWARD – TRUMP IS ELECTED AND THE PLAN COMES TO FRUITION.

DESPITE ITS NAME BEING “**DEPARTMENT OF GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY” – DOGE IS NOT A GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT. IT’S A TEMPORARY ADVISORY BODY – CREATED THROUGH AN EXECUTIVE ORDER.

ACCORDING TO THE EXECUTIVE ORDER (show in hand) –

EACH GOVERNMENT AGENCY WAS INSTRUCTED TO ADD “A DOGE TEAM” CONSISTING OF AT LEAST FOUR EMPLOYEES.

THOSE EMPLOYEES ARE THEN TASKED WITH THOROUGHLY VETTING AGENCY SYSTEMS –

AND PROVIDE AGENCY HEADS WITH **RECOMMENDATIONS –

**ADVISING THEM ON HOW THEY CAN BEST IMPLEMENT DOGE STRATEGIES TO CUT WASTE.

A LINK TO THE ORDER – IF YOU’D LIKE TO REVIEW IT YOURSELF WILL BE IN OUR WEB ARTICLE AT SAN DOT COM.

ELON MUSK SPOKE TO FOX NEWS ON MONDAY – REITERATING DOGE’S PLACE AS A SUPPORT ROLE.

“We’re really trying to be sort of, we refer to is as tech support. We’re helping the departments get a handle on things.”

WHILE DOGE’S WEBSITE IS TRACKING FEDERAL GRANTS AND PROGRAMS CUT AND MONEY SAVED VIA DOGE’S EFFORTS –

DOGE **INDIRECTLY CUT THE PROGRAMS –

UNAUTHORIZED TO END GRANTS ON ITS OWN.

THOSE DECISIONS ARE UP TO AGENCY HEADS TO IMPLEMENT –

WHICH MANY OF DOGE’S RECOMMENDATIONS – **ARE BEING TAKEN UP BY REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP.

LEE ZELDIN FOR EXAMPLE – TRUMP’S PICK TO HEAD THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY –

HAS BEEN A VOCAL ADVOCATE OF DOGE’S WORK WITHIN HIS DEPARTMENT.

ZELDIN POSTED ON X MONDAY –  “I am cancelling over 400 DEI and Environmental Justice grants across 9 grant programs totaling $1.7 BILLION, bringing @EPA’s total savings to over $2 BILLION! This fourth round of EPA/@DOGE cuts was our biggest yet.”

AND ONE OF DOGE’S MORE PROMINENT TARGETS –

USAID – UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE MARCO RUBIO’S CONTROL – HAS SLASHED 83% OF THE AGENCY’S PROGRAMS.

RUBIO SAYING OVER 5,200 CONTRACTS DID NOT SERVE THE INTERESTS OF THE U.S.

WHILE RUBIO HAD THE SAY SO ON DISMANTLING USAID –

A DOGE TEAM **ASSISTED IN A SIX WEEK REVIEW.

THERE HAS BEEN CONFUSION AND RETRACTIONS IN SOME OF DOGE’S RECOMMENDATIONS AGENCIES IMPLEMENTED BUT THEN REVERSED – SUCH AS HUNDREDS OF FEDERAL FIRINGS RESCINDED.

THAT INCLUDES EMPLOYEES FROM THE ENERGY DEPARTMENT WORKING ON NUCLEAR PROGRAMS AND THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE EMPLOYEES INVOLVED WITH RESPONDING TO BIRD FLU OUTBREAKS.

DOGE ALSO WALKED BACK SOME OF ITS RECEIPTS ON SAVINGS.

THE AGENCY DUPLICATED A 655 MILLION DOLLAR USAID CUT.

AND DOGE ACCOUNTED FOR A 232 MILLION DOLLAR SAVING THROUGH A SOCIAL SECURITY-LEIDOS CONTRACT IT THOUGHT THE AGENCY GOT RID OF –

BUT THE SSA ONLY CUT A PORTION OF IT, NOT THE ENTIRE 232 MILLION.

THE DOGE WEBSITE NOW REFLECTS THE CHANGES.

ELON MUSK ADMITTED DOGE “WILL MAKE MISTAKES” – AND THEY WILL BE “QUICKLY” ADDRESSED.

ELON MUSK IS A “SPECIAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE” OR “S-G-E”.

IT’S A TEMPORARY GOVERNMENT POSITION – MEANT TO ALLOW THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH TO TAP **OUTSIDE EXPERTISE.

WHILE MUSK CAN ACCESS CERTAIN GOVERNMENT FILES IN THIS ROLE, THEN ADVISE AND LEAD CALLS FOR GOVERNMENT CUTS –

IT’S NOT HIS FINGER ON THE TRIGGER.

A SPECIAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE CAN’T FIRE ANOTHER GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE.

HE CAN’T CUT A GOVERNMENT GRANT OR PROGRAM ON HIS OWN –

BUT HE CAN ADVISE DEPARTMENT HEADS TO DO SO – AS EXPLAINED HERE BY REPUBLICAN SENATOR RICK SCOTT OF THE SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE ON CNN.

“Elon musk does not have the power to fire people. The president of the united states is donald trump. And the agency heads are the ones who handle each of their departments. So they’ve got the decision. That was musk has said time and time again. And the president was elected to basically reign in government.”

THOUGH MUSK DOESN’T HAVE THE DIRECT ABILITY TO CALL THE SHOTS  –

HIS LEADERSHIP OVER DOGE, INFLUENCE OVER CUTS AND LAYOFFS, AND PLACEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT –

HAS LED TO SEVERAL PROTESTS OUTSIDE TESLA DEALERSHIPS –

WITH TESLA CARS AND CHARGING STATIONS BEING VANDALIZED.

WHILE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF DOGE WAS AN INITIAL STEP IN SPOTLIGHTING GOVERNMENT WASTE UNDER THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION –

AND WHILE TRUMP MADE CLEAR CABINET HEADS ARE IN CHARGE OF WHETHER THEY ACCEPT OR DECLINE DOGE RECOMMENDATIONS –

**CONGRESS IS EYEING A WAY TO MAKE DOGE-INSPIRED CUTS MORE CONCRETE –

THROUGH LEGISLATION.

JUST AS CABINET HEADS MET WITH MUSK LAST WEEK –

A DAY BEFORE – MUSK MET WITH SOME SENATE REPUBLICANS – INCLUDING RAND PAUL – WHO DISCUSSED HOW CONGRESS CAN CODIFY MOVES DOGE IS MAKING TO REIGN IN GOVERNMENT.

IF CONGRESS PASSES WHAT’S CALLED A “RESCISSION PACKAGE” – IT WOULD SOLIDIFY DOGE’S EFFORTS – WHICH ARE MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO LEGAL CHALLENGES WITHOUT THE HELP OF CONGRESS.

MUSK AND SENATE REPUBLICANS – LEFT THE MEETING ON THE SAME PAGE ACCORDING TO REPUBLICAN SENATORS WHO WERE PRESENT.

AND ON MONDAY – MUSK WAS SEEN HEADING INTO A MEETING WITH HOUSE REPUBLICANS TO DISCUSS DOGE.

IN SUMMARY —

SOME NEWS COVERAGE OF DOGE – LIKE OUR MONTAGE OFF THE TOP OF THIS STORY – HAS BEEN EMOTIONAL.

FRUSTRATION IS COMING ACROSS FROM SOME LEFT-LEANING NEWS OUTLETS OVER MUSK’S REACH IN THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION.

AND RIGHT LEANING NEWS OUTLETS ARE COMING ACROSS DEFENSIVE OVER TRUMP’S USE OF ELON MUSK TO LEAD DOGE.

WHEN PUTTING FEELINGS ASIDE –

THE FACTS ARE THIS.

IT’S EARLY ON IN THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION AND IMPLEMENTING A PLAN TO CUT GOVERNMENT WASTE WAS A DAY ONE INITIATIVE.

DOGE WAS CREATED – AND DOGE TEAMS FORMED IN EACH AGENCY. 

ELON MUSK’S SPECIAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE STATUS ALLOWS HIM TO ADVISE THE PRESIDENT AND AGENCY HEADS WHERE CUTS AND LAYOFFS COULD BE MADE IF THEY DECIDE TO TAKE UP DOGE RECOMMENDATIONS.

A LOT HAVE. AND TENS OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS HAVE BEEN ROLLED BACK.

THERE’S BEEN SOME REPORTED INTERNAL FRICTION OVER DOGE’S PROCESS –

AND MISTAKES OVER RECEIPTS AND LAYOFFS HAVE BEEN MADE.

PRESIDENT TRUMP IS DIRECTING MUSK AND CABINET MEMBERS TO TAKE A SCALPEL RATHER THAN HATCHET APPROACH.

AND WHILE THEY CONTINUE TO MAKE CUTS –

THE NEXT STEP – IS POTENTIAL **ACTION FROM CONGRESS.

WHILE LEFT AND RIGHT NEWS OUTLETS EMPHASIZED THE PART OF THE STORY THAT BEST FIT THEIR NARRATIVE – WRAPPING FACTS INTO CHAOS OR BUILDING A DOGE DEFENSE –

WE TOOK THE EMOTION AND PRE-ASSUMED NOTIONS OUT – LEAVING YOU WITH THE FACTS OF A MAJOR STORY THAT ISN’T GOING ANYWHERE.

AND THAT’S YOUR BIAS BREAKDOWN.

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