Amid ongoing controversy surrounding the U.S. government’s personnel vetting process, Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk lashed out at a top White House official, calling him a “snake.” In a social media post published on Wednesday (June 18), Musk referred to Sergio Gor, the Director of Personnel, with the remark. The report comes via Anadolu Agency.
Gor, who oversaw the federal employee security clearance process under the Trump administration, is reportedly yet to submit his own documentation for permanent security clearance, according to a New York Post report.
Analysts suggest the incident reflects not only bureaucratic tension but also deepening political rivalry. Strained relations between Musk and the current U.S. administration are not new. Tensions escalated recently when the Biden administration declined to appoint Jared Isaacman, a close ally of Musk, to head a space agency. Gor is rumored to have played an active role in that decision.
Some Republican senators have claimed that Isaacman was excluded due to his past financial contributions to the Democratic Party.
Musk and Trump, once seen as mutual allies, have now entered open conflict. In late May, Musk publicly condemned Trump’s budget proposal as “disgusting,” marking a clear breakdown in their relationship.
This was followed by a series of sharp exchanges on social media, with Trump threatening to cancel various business deals involving Musk. In response, Musk called Trump “ungrateful” and shared several controversial statements about the former president, which he later deleted.
More recently, Musk has expressed support for Trump’s impeachment and has hinted at the formation of a new political party.
Observers see this growing feud as a new front in the political power struggle that could shape the post-2024 U.S. political landscape.
