Washington: A once-powerful alliance in American politics has dramatically unraveled, as former allies President Donald Trump and tech mogul Elon Musk launched a public war of words on their social media platforms Thursday — a fiery exchange that now casts a shadow over both Musk’s business empire and Trump’s legislative agenda.
The fallout began when Trump, speaking from the Oval Office, acknowledged a deep rupture in his relationship with Musk. Expressing disappointment over Musk’s recent attacks on his administration’s sweeping domestic policy bill, Trump admitted, “Elon and I had a great relationship. I don’t know if we will anymore.”
That triggered an immediate and pointed response from Musk on X, his social media platform, where he claimed Trump would have lost the 2024 election without his support. “Without me, Trump would have lost the election, Dems would control the House and the Republicans would be 51-49 in the Senate,” Musk wrote. “Such ingratitude.”
The deterioration of their alliance has been swift. Musk, who had previously served as a special government employee in Trump’s administration, became sharply critical of the president’s flagship bill — a vast package of tax reforms, spending cuts, and energy provisions. Musk lambasted it as a “disgusting abomination” that would balloon the national deficit. The bill narrowly passed the House and is now in the Senate.
Trump, once an avid supporter of Musk, responded by threatening to pull federal contracts and subsidies tied to Musk’s businesses — a move that could jeopardize operations at companies like SpaceX and Tesla and even impact collaborative work with NASA and the International Space Station.
The feud escalated to shocking new levels when Musk, without offering evidence, claimed Trump’s name was among those in the unreleased files connected to Jeffrey Epstein. The accusation intensified scrutiny on Musk’s motivations and raised questions about his access to confidential records.
The White House swiftly pushed back. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed Musk’s remarks as a reaction to losing influence over the legislation, calling them “unfortunate” and affirming the administration’s commitment to passing the bill. A source familiar with the matter, cited by CNN, reiterated that Trump had already disclosed documents mentioning him in connection with the Epstein case and that he has never been accused of wrongdoing.
"Elon was fine with everything until the EV tax credit was cut. That’s what this is really about,” Trump alleged later in the day, referring to a component of the bill that would phase out electric vehicle subsidies. Musk denied that claim, calling Trump’s comments “an obvious lie” and insisting his concerns were about the bill’s excessive spending.
Musk further escalated tensions by attacking Trump’s tariff policies — warning they could lead to a recession — and even floated the idea of removing the president from office in favor of Vice President JD Vance.
Though Trump responded with relative restraint, saying he wasn’t upset Musk turned on him but wished he had done it sooner, the strain was evident. At one point, Trump walked away from reporters during a public event, declining to take questions about Musk.
Meanwhile, Tesla shares dipped sharply amid the chaos, raising concerns about the financial ripple effects of the fallout. Musk, who was the biggest declared donor to GOP causes during the last election cycle, had pledged continued support for Republican candidates — support now in question.
The feud sparked commentary from conservatives, including writer Ashley St. Clair — who claims Musk fathered her child — jokingly offering Trump breakup advice online.
Despite the fiery rhetoric, there were moments of nostalgia and restraint. Trump recalled Musk’s support during the 2024 campaign, saying the billionaire campaigned for him and contributed significantly to his win. “He endorsed me very strongly… I think I would have won anyway, but he helped,” Trump said.
Still, White House aides revealed that Trump was stunned and disappointed by Musk’s recent attacks, particularly the assertion that Trump owed him the presidency. While Trump initially tried to avoid engaging in a public fight, sources say his tone is shifting as Musk continues to escalate.
During a joint press appearance with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Trump remarked that former allies often turn on him after leaving his administration, chalking it up to what he described as “Trump derangement syndrome.”
“They leave, and then they miss the magic, and some turn bitter,” he said.
Despite the hostilities, a red Tesla sedan — a gift from Musk presented at a promotional event — remained parked in the White House driveway on Thursday evening, a quiet reminder of a once-formidable partnership that now appears all but shattered.
