When Musk called Sergio Gor 'a snake'
What's the story
United States President Donald Trump has nominated Sergio Gor, his close aide, as the next US Ambassador to India. The announcement was made on Trump's social media platform, Truth Social. In his post, Trump praised Gor for his contributions in staffing political positions across the federal government and said he was instrumental in achieving the administration's objectives.
Background
Little foreign policy experience
Gor has been part of Trump's political operations since 2020 and is currently the director of the White House Presidential Personnel Office. He will continue in this role until his ambassadorial nomination is confirmed by the Senate. Despite his clout, Gor has little experience in foreign policy and has been involved in several controversial media reports.
Fallout
Gor's nomination follows Musk-Trump fallout
Gor's nomination comes after a public fallout between Musk and Trump. The rift started over agency cuts during a Cabinet meeting in March, where Musk clashed with other officials. Although Gor was not named at the time, insiders say he opposed Musk's influence on staffing decisions. The situation worsened when Gor helped block Jared Isaacman's NASA nomination, which had been strongly supported by Musk.
Criticism
Musk labeled Gor a 'snake'
Following the NASA nomination incident, Musk publicly criticized Gor on X (formerly Twitter), calling him "a snake." This was after a New York Post report claimed that Gor had not completed his own background security clearance paperwork. The White House disputed these claims, asserting that Gor's clearance was active. Despite the controversies surrounding him, Trump praised Gor for his contributions in helping shape his administration.
Twitter Post
Musk's reply to post on X about Sergio Gor
Sergio Gor, the director of presidential personnel in charge of vetting Trump's team, has yet to be vetted himself, having not submitted official paperwork about his own background needed for a permanent security clearance. @stevennelson10 @DianaGlebova https://t.co/kDyg2Mwv46
— Peter Baker (@peterbakernyt) June 19, 2025
Early career
Who is Sergio Gor?
Born in Tashkent, Gor emigrated to the US with his family in 1999. He graduated from George Washington University and worked for Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky. In 2024, he led a pro-Trump super PAC funded by Isaac Perlmutter. Despite his growing influence, Gor has been the subject of controversial media reports questioning his rise within Trump's political sphere.