The remark dates back to June this year, when Musk reacted on X (formerly Twitter) to a New York Post report that highlighted Gor’s alleged lapses in security vetting. The report revealed that despite overseeing the vetting of thousands of White House staffers, Gor himself had not completed the mandatory clearance process. Musk reposted the article and added a blunt caption: “a snake.”
Musk–Gor Rift
Tensions between Musk and Gor reportedly stem from Gor’s role in advising Trump to withdraw the nomination of Jared Isaacman—Musk’s close friend—to head NASA. According to The Daily Beast, this move, made just days before the Senate vote, deepened the rift between Musk and Trump’s circle.
Although Gor has served as director of the White House Presidential Personnel Office for months, reports suggest he has yet to file Standard Form 86, a 100-page security questionnaire required for clearance. His office, however, continues to screen nearly 4,000 political appointees and manage conflict-of-interest checks.
The White House has pushed back against these allegations. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed the New York Post story as “baseless gossip,” while Communications Director Steven Cheung described Gor as “a vital member of the team” who has helped Trump build “an administration that is second to none.”
Meanwhile, in a social media post on Friday, Trump said Gor, 38, is a “great friend, who has been at my side for many years”.”I am pleased to announce that I am promoting Sergio Gor to be our next United States Ambassador to the Republic of India,” he said.United States Vice President JD Vance and others have too hailed Gor on social media.