Mask denied at the office near Trump's Oval Office - The Times.

This is reported by The Times, as conveyed by Ukrinform.

The publication states that U.S. President Joe Biden's chief of staff, Suzy Wiles, whom Trump refers to as the "Ice Lady," won her first major battle this week by denying Elon Musk a permanent office in the West Wing of the White House.

It is noted that Wiles, 67, the first woman to lead the presidential staff, laid down the rules for employees, making it clear that "anyone who cannot be relied upon for collaboration and focus on our shared goals will not work in the West Wing." She warned that she would not tolerate "people who want to play solo or be a star."

Musk, who has taken on the role of head of DOGE, tasked with reducing federal spending, sought his own office just a few meters from the Oval Office.

However, Musk's team will now be located in the Eisenhower Administrative Building, which is on the White House grounds but across the street from the main complex.

Another sign of Wiles' determination to establish some distance between Musk and Trump was the order for DOGE staff to report directly to her.

The publication notes that this decision is related to attempts to quell speculation that Musk might act as a "co-president" or "actual vice president," given his tendency to create news hooks and promote his own agenda.

"No one knows better than Wiles, with her years of experience managing people with large egos, how challenging it will be to rein in Musk, who continues to visit the West Wing frequently. However, her actions this week reaffirmed her role as the president's guardian, even against the world's richest person, who has been closely associated with Trump since he moved to Mar-a-Lago late last year," the publication states.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, media outlets previously wrote that Elon Musk, who led the Government Efficiency Department in the Trump administration after the inauguration, would have an office within the White House complex, in close proximity to the U.S. president.

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