One of the most powerful alliances in American politics appears to be over.
President Donald Trump and Elon Musk explosively sparred on their respective social media platforms Thursday – with the president floating the idea of cutting the tech billionaire’s various government contracts and Musk going nuclear at one point and saying Trump’s name was in the so-called Epstein files.
Thursday’s drama started when Trump confirmed the deterioration of his relationship with Musk, saying he was “very disappointed” in the tech billionaire after he repeatedly blasted the president’s sweeping domestic agenda bill in recent days.
“Elon and I had a great relationship. I don’t know if we will anymore,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, less than one week after the two exchanged effusive praise on Musk’s last day as a special government employee.
Shortly after, Musk responded on his social media platform X that Trump could not have won the 2024 election without him – a jab that appeared to further irritate the president and significantly intensify the fight, which played out on dueling social media platforms owned by the two men.
“Without me, Trump would have lost the election, Dems would control the House and the Republicans would be 51-49 in the Senate,” Musk said. He added: “Such ingratitude.”
Musk had initially started the public feud Tuesday, calling a mammoth GOP bill on taxes, spending cuts, energy and the border a “disgusting abomination” due to projections it will greatly increase the deficit. The bill narrowly passed the House last month and is being considered by the Senate, and the tech billionaire has made it clear he’s aiming to sink it or prompt Republican lawmakers to rewrite it significantly. Trump and Musk have not spoken since Musk’s initial outburst, multiple sources told CNN.
The back-and-forth between Trump and his megadonor, former “first buddy” and surrogate-turned-special-government-employee marked a very public breakup of a former center of power for the second Trump administration. The president had fully empowered Musk to take dramatic steps through his so-called Department of Government Efficiency to transform the size and scope of the federal government, which Musk carried out with varying levels of success. But the friendship quickly soured upon his departure as Musk railed against Trump’s most critical agenda item.
The situation further devolved through the afternoon. Trump threatened to “terminate Elon’s Governmental Subsidies and Contracts,” a move that could have devastating impacts on his businesses, and even major implications for the International Space Station.
President Donald Trump and Elon Musk explosively sparred on their respective social media platforms Thursday – with the president floating the idea of cutting the tech billionaire’s various government contracts and Musk going nuclear at one point and saying Trump’s name was in the so-called Epstein files.
Thursday’s drama started when Trump confirmed the deterioration of his relationship with Musk, saying he was “very disappointed” in the tech billionaire after he repeatedly blasted the president’s sweeping domestic agenda bill in recent days.
“Elon and I had a great relationship. I don’t know if we will anymore,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, less than one week after the two exchanged effusive praise on Musk’s last day as a special government employee.
Shortly after, Musk responded on his social media platform X that Trump could not have won the 2024 election without him – a jab that appeared to further irritate the president and significantly intensify the fight, which played out on dueling social media platforms owned by the two men.
“Without me, Trump would have lost the election, Dems would control the House and the Republicans would be 51-49 in the Senate,” Musk said. He added: “Such ingratitude.”
Musk had initially started the public feud Tuesday, calling a mammoth GOP bill on taxes, spending cuts, energy and the border a “disgusting abomination” due to projections it will greatly increase the deficit. The bill narrowly passed the House last month and is being considered by the Senate, and the tech billionaire has made it clear he’s aiming to sink it or prompt Republican lawmakers to rewrite it significantly. Trump and Musk have not spoken since Musk’s initial outburst, multiple sources told CNN.
The back-and-forth between Trump and his megadonor, former “first buddy” and surrogate-turned-special-government-employee marked a very public breakup of a former center of power for the second Trump administration. The president had fully empowered Musk to take dramatic steps through his so-called Department of Government Efficiency to transform the size and scope of the federal government, which Musk carried out with varying levels of success. But the friendship quickly soured upon his departure as Musk railed against Trump’s most critical agenda item.
The situation further devolved through the afternoon. Trump threatened to “terminate Elon’s Governmental Subsidies and Contracts,” a move that could have devastating impacts on his businesses, and even major implications for the International Space Station.
23 days ago
