Elon Musk and Sergio Gor, whom President Donald Trump nominated as the next US ambassador to India on Friday, had reportedly clashed for months before the Tesla CEO resigned from the Trump administration in May.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Sergio Gor reportedly clashed, including at Cabinet meetings, where Musk “chastised” Gor over personnel disagreements.(REUTERS File)
In mid-June 2025, Elon Musk took to X (formerly Twitter) to call Sergio Gor, one of Donald Trump’s closest aides and who is currently the director of the White House Presidential Personnel Office, “a snake”.
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Musk’s post came shortly after a New York Post report claimed that Gor, who oversees vetting for thousands of executive-branch employees, had not completed his own background security clearance paperwork for a permanent security clearance. The report further claimed that he was still operating under an interim clearance despite his high-level vetting responsibilities.
The White House, however, strongly disputed these claims, asserting that Gor had completed the necessary documentation, and his clearance was active.
“He’s a snake,” Musk had replied to a post on X, linking to a New York Post story on Gor.
Elon Musk vs Sergio Gor
Clash in a Cabinet meeting: The Hill reported that Musk and Gor butted heads, including at Cabinet meetings, where Musk “chastised” Gor over personnel disagreements.
NASA nomination: Musk’s ally, Jared Isaacman, was nominated to lead National Aeronautics and Space Administration — only for the nomination to be withdrawn right before a confirmation vote.
Reports indicate that Gor handed Trump a background dossier on Isaacman, highlighting past donations to Democrats, which contributed to the reversal. This move further infuriated Musk
An administration official told The Hill that the decision to pull Isaacman’s nomination ultimately rested with the president.
Elon Musk’s resignation
In May, billionaire Elon Musk resigned as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a post tasked with cutting federal expenditure, as he approached the maximum tenure allowed for a special government adviser.
His exit followed his first major public clash with Trump, triggered by the administration’s flagship tax-and-spending budget bill, which cleared the Republican-led House of Representatives on May 22 by just one vote.