One week after Elon Musk held court before the cameras during President Donald Trump’s first Cabinet meeting, many of the Senate-confirmed leaders of government departments and agencies reconvened in the Cabinet Room on Thursday for a different kind of discussion.

The Trump administration has drawn scrutiny in court for trying to distance Elon Musk from the government’s actions, even as the president has publicly claimed otherwise.

US President Donald Trump called a meeting of his cabinet secretaries on Thursday to discuss Elon Musk and his efforts to slash government spending and personnel numbers. It turned heated, according to media reports.

Less than seven weeks into President Trump’s second term, Elon Musk has made himself a force by slashing foreign aid and directing agencies to fire tens of thousands of employees. Yesterday, there was a potential turning point: a remarkable cabinet meeting detailed today by my colleagues Jonathan Swan and Maggie Haberman.

U.S. President Donald Trump told his cabinet members on Thursday that they, not Elon Musk, have the final say on staffing and policy at their agencies, according to a source familiar with the matter.