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The once-close alliance between President Donald Trump and billionaire tech mogul Elon Musk has unraveled in a spectacular public feud, fueled by disagreements over Trump’s sweeping tax and domestic policy bill. What began as a policy dispute has spiraled into a personal and vitriolic exchange of insults, threats, and unverified allegations, playing out on social media platforms Truth Social and X. The clash has rocked political and financial spheres, with Tesla’s stock plummeting and questions swirling about the future of Musk’s government contracts.
Events Leading to the Feud
The Trump-Musk partnership, often dubbed a political “bromance,” took root during the 2024 presidential campaign. Musk, who previously supported Democrats like Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden, shifted to the Republican Party in 2022 and endorsed Trump in July 2024 after an assassination attempt at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Musk became one of Trump’s top donors, spending approximately $277 million to support his campaign and other Republicans. After Trump’s victory, Musk was appointed to lead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a task force aimed at slashing federal spending, alongside Vivek Ramaswamy.
Musk’s role in DOGE gave him significant influence, including access to Cabinet meetings and Air Force One. His aggressive proposals, such as cutting 75% of the federal workforce, made DOGE a cornerstone of Trump’s early agenda. However, tensions emerged as Musk’s influence clashed with other administration officials. By March 2025, Trump clarified that Cabinet secretaries, not Musk, controlled their agencies. Musk announced his departure from DOGE on May 1, 2025, after 130 days, vowing to remain a “friend and advisor” to Trump.
The feud ignited when Musk publicly criticized Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill,” a massive tax and spending package that included tax cuts, border security funding, and spending reductions. On May 27, 2025, Musk told CBS News and The Washington Post that the bill would increase the federal deficit, undermining DOGE’s cost-cutting efforts. By June 3, he escalated his attacks on X, calling the bill a “disgusting abomination” and urging voters to oust Republicans who supported it.
Developments in the Feud
The conflict exploded on June 5, 2025, during a press conference in the Oval Office alongside German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Trump expressed disappointment in Musk, claiming he was upset because the bill eliminated electric vehicle (EV) subsidies benefiting Tesla. Trump stated, “Elon knew the inner workings of this bill better than almost anybody sitting here.” Musk fired back on X, denying he saw the bill and alleging it was passed “in the dead of night.”
The feud turned personal as both men unleashed a barrage of posts on their respective platforms. Trump accused Musk of going “CRAZY” after the EV mandate was removed and threatened to terminate billions in government contracts with Musk’s companies, including SpaceX. Musk countered by claiming Trump would have lost the 2024 election without his support and made an unverified allegation linking Trump to Jeffrey Epstein’s unreleased government files. The public spat led to a 14.3% drop in Tesla’s stock, erasing $150 billion in market value, and an 8% decline in Trump Media and Technology Group.
Musk briefly threatened to decommission SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft, critical for NASA’s International Space Station missions, but later retracted the threat after urging from X users. He also endorsed a post suggesting Trump’s impeachment, proposing Vice President JD Vance as a replacement. House Republicans, including Speaker Mike Johnson, defended the bill, while Democrats seized on Musk’s Epstein claims, demanding the files’ release.
Key Social Media Exchanges
Below are key posts from Truth Social and X that fueled the feud on June 5, 2025:
- Trump (Truth Social, ~12:30 PM EDT): “Elon was ‘wearing thin,’ I asked him to leave, I took away his EV Mandate that forced everyone to buy Electric Cars that nobody else wanted (that he knew for months I was going to do!), and he just went CRAZY!”
- Trump (Truth Social, ~1:00 PM EDT): “The easiest way to save money in our Budget, Billions and Billions of Dollars, is to terminate Elon’s Governmental Subsidies and Contracts. I was always surprised that Biden didn’t do it!”
- Trump (Truth Social, ~1:30 PM EDT): “I don’t mind Elon turning against me, but he should have done so months ago. This is one of the Greatest Bills ever presented to Congress. It’s a Record Cut in Expenses, $1.6 Trillion Dollars, and the Biggest Tax Cut ever given.”
- Musk (X, ~12:15 PM EDT): “This bill was never shown to me even once and was passed in the dead of night so fast that almost no one in Congress could even read it! … Keep the EV/solar incentive cuts in the bill, even though no oil & gas subsidies are touched (very unfair!!), but ditch the MOUNTAIN of DISGUSTING PORK in the bill.”
- Musk (X, ~12:45 PM EDT): “Without me, Trump would have lost the election, Dems would control the House and the Republicans would be 51-49 in the Senate. Such ingratitude.”
- Musk (X, ~3:10 PM EDT): “Time to drop the really big bomb: @realDonaldTrump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public. Have a nice day, DJT!”
- Musk (X, ~3:30 PM EDT, responding to Trump’s contract threat): “This just gets better and better. Go ahead, make my day …”
- Musk (X, ~4:00 PM EDT): “In light of President Trump’s statement about cancellation of my government contracts, @SpaceX will begin decommissioning its Dragon spacecraft immediately.” [Later retracted: “Ok, we won’t decommission Dragon.”]
- Musk (X, ~4:30 PM EDT, quoting a post suggesting Trump’s impeachment): “Yes” [in response to a post calling for Trump’s impeachment and replacement with JD Vance].
Timeline of the Feud
- July 13, 2024: Musk endorses Trump after an assassination attempt, later spending $277 million on his campaign.
- November 5, 2024: Musk spends election night at Mar-a-Lago, influencing staffing decisions.
- November 12, 2024: Trump appoints Musk to lead DOGE.
- January 20, 2025: Musk attends Trump’s inauguration, sparking controversy with a gesture resembling a Nazi salute.
- March 4, 2025: Trump praises Musk but clarifies Cabinet secretaries control their agencies.
- May 1, 2025: Musk leaves DOGE, vowing to remain an advisor.
- May 27, 2025: Musk criticizes Trump’s bill in interviews, calling it a “massive spending bill.”
- June 3, 2025: Musk escalates criticism on X, calling the bill a “disgusting abomination.”
- June 5, 2025, Morning: Trump, in the Oval Office, says he’s “very disappointed” in Musk, claiming he was upset over EV subsidy cuts.
- June 5, 2025, Afternoon: Musk denies Trump’s claims on X, alleging the bill was passed secretly and claiming Trump’s election win relied on his support. He posts about Epstein files.
- June 5, 2025, Evening: Trump threatens to cut Musk’s contracts on Truth Social. Musk threatens to decommission Dragon spacecraft, then retracts. Tesla shares drop 14.3%.
- June 5, 2025, Late Evening: Musk endorses a post calling for Trump’s impeachment and criticizes his tariffs.
- June 6, 2025: White House official says Trump is not interested in talking to Musk, signaling no immediate resolution.
Looking Ahead
The feud’s intensity, marked by personal attacks and financial threats, suggests little chance of reconciliation. Trump’s threat to cancel SpaceX contracts could disrupt NASA’s operations, while Musk’s allegations and financial clout pose political risks for Trump. House Republicans urge focus on the bill, but Democrats are leveraging Musk’s Epstein claims. As the Senate debates the legislation, the Trump-Musk rift continues to dominate headlines, with Tesla’s stock and GOP unity hanging in the balance.