A newly released book offers an unprecedented glimpse into life inside the Trump administration, revealing that First Lady Melania Trump privately objected to Elon Musk staying overnight at the White House during his tenure as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
The claim appears in "Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump," written by New York Times reporters Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan. The book, which draws on extensive interviews with White House insiders, details the tensions that arose when the billionaire entrepreneur became a frequent presence at the executive residence .
According to the authors, Musk requested permission to stay at the White House, and President Donald Trump approved the arrangement . However, the first lady reportedly voiced strong objections to the idea of the DOGE chief sleeping under the same roof. Despite her concerns, the president ultimately overruled her, allowing Musk to spend multiple nights in the historic Lincoln Bedroom .
When not staying in the famous guest suite, Musk reportedly stayed with friends or used a sleeping bag on the floor of his office in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building . His White House sleepovers became a point of contention not only with the first lady but also with members of the president's inner circle. White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles reportedly viewed Musk as an unconventional and "unhinged" presence, while Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent clashed with him over operational disagreements involving the IRS .
Musk himself has previously spoken publicly about his overnight visits, insisting that he never requested to stay at the White House. Instead, he said Trump personally invited him after the two traveled together aboard Air Force One . "We'll be on Air Force One or Marine One and then he's like, 'Hey, do you want to stay over?' and I'm like, 'Sure,'" Musk recalled. "I didn't request it, to be sure" .
The Tesla and SpaceX CEO described Trump as an unexpectedly gracious host, recounting how the president would call him late at night to suggest he get ice cream from the White House kitchen. Musk admitted to eating an entire tub of caramel Häagen-Dazs, joking, "Don't tell RFK" — a reference to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s Make America Healthy Again campaign .
The relationship between Trump and Musk, once described as close, soured dramatically in 2025 following Musk's departure from DOGE. The two exchanged public criticism after Musk opposed the president's legislative agenda, with Trump reportedly saying Musk had "lost his mind" . Musk, in turn, made claims about the president's involvement in the Epstein files .
However, tensions appear to have eased in recent months. Earlier this year, Musk shared a photograph of himself dining with President Trump and Melania Trump at Mar-a-Lago, signaling a potential reconciliation . The pair have also been linked through a recent stock venture involving SpaceX's initial public offering, which reportedly benefited many in the Trump administration .
The book also provides broader context about the Trump family's dynamics, revealing that the president and first lady maintain separate bedrooms and have occasionally clashed over interior decorating decisions. The president has been known to redecorate while his wife is away, moving items from the second-floor corridor into his own bedroom .
"Regime Change" paints a portrait of a president operating with fewer constraints in his second term, surrounded by loyalists and largely unchecked by congressional oversight . The Musk sleepover episode, while seemingly minor, illustrates the tensions that arose when one of Trump's most unconventional advisers became a fixture at the White House.
Musk's role as head of DOGE — a task force created to reduce federal spending — lasted approximately four months. During that time, he promised to save the government $2 trillion, though federal spending ultimately rose during his tenure . His White House stays reportedly ended after his departure from DOGE, though the two men appear to have mended fences since their public falling out.
The revelations offer a rare look at the personal dynamics that shaped the Trump administration's inner workings, highlighting both the influence Musk wielded and the friction his presence generated among the president's closest advisers and family members. The book's detailed account of the dispute over Musk's sleepovers underscores the sometimes clashing priorities within the White House residence itself.
