One Story to Read Today highlights a single newly published—or newly relevant—Atlantic story that’s worth your time. “Musk came to Washington all Cybertrucks and chain saws, ready to destroy the bureaucracy,” Michael Scherer and Ashley Parker write. But as he winds down his service, “he has found himself isolated within the upper reaches of the Trump administration.” |
|
| | (Yuri Gripas / The Washington Post / Getty) | | | |
|
|
| “Fuck you! Fuck you! Fuck you!” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was shouting at Elon Musk in the halls of the West Wing last month, loud enough for Donald Trump to hear and in a language that he could certainly understand. Bessent and Musk were fighting over which of them should choose the next IRS leader—and, implicitly, over Musk’s bureaucracy-be-damned crusade. Without securing the Treasury chief’s sign-off, Musk had pushed through his own pick for the job. Bessent was, quite obviously, not having it. The fight had started outside the Oval Office; it continued past the Roosevelt Room and toward the chief of staff’s office, and then barreled around the corner to the national security adviser’s warren. Musk accused Bessent of having run two failed hedge funds. “I can’t hear you,” he told Bessent as they argued, their faces just inches apart. “Say it louder.” | |
|
|
|
|
Previous One Story picks: Sign up for This Week, our editors’ Sunday-evening selection of stories that are sparking conversation right now. Did someone forward you this newsletter? Sign up here. For full access to our journalism, subscribe to The Atlantic. |
|
Give The Atlantic. Save $20. Now until June 2. | | | When you give an Atlantic subscription to someone special, you’re giving them the tools to understand this moment and every moment to come: fearless reporting, bold ideas, and fair-handed insight on all of today’s most urgent issues. For a limited time, save $20 when you give any Atlantic subscription. | |
|
|
|
