President Donald Trump and Elon Musk, once allies, are now locked in a public feud as of June 5, 2025. Their partnership, forged during Trump’s 2024 campaign with Musk’s $288 million in support, saw Musk co-lead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to cut federal spending. Tensions arose over Musk’s aggressive cost-cutting and unpopularity, with 57% of voters in an April 2025 poll saying he had too much influence.
The feud erupted when Musk called Trump’s $2.4 trillion deficit-increasing tax and spending bill a “disgusting abomination” on X, criticizing its cuts to Medicaid and SNAP. Trump retaliated, mocking Musk’s appearance and threatening to cancel Tesla and SpaceX contracts. Musk claimed Trump would have lost without him and made unsubstantiated allegations about Trump in Epstein’s files. Tesla’s stock dropped 14.3%, losing $152 billion, while Trump Media fell 8%.
The clash divides Republicans, with some backing Trump and others, like Rand Paul, supporting Musk’s fiscal concerns. Musk’s threats to fund GOP primaries and start a new party signal further political disruption. The feud highlights their clashing egos and agendas, impacting markets and GOP unity. Below is a factual account of their relationship, its breakdown, and the key issues driving their conflict.
The Rise of the Trump-Musk Alliance
The relationship between Trump and Musk began to solidify during the 2024 presidential campaign. Initially, Musk supported Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in the Republican primaries, but after an assassination attempt on Trump in July 2024, Musk formally endorsed him, stating, “I fully endorse President Trump and hope for his rapid recovery.” Musk became one of Trump’s largest financial backers, spending approximately $288 million to support Trump and other Republican candidates.
After Trump’s election victory in November 2024, he rewarded Musk with a prominent role as co-head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), alongside Vivek Ramaswamy. DOGE aimed to slash federal spending by $2 trillion and reduce the federal workforce by 75%. Musk’s high-profile presence included appearances at Trump’s inauguration, Cabinet meetings, and even a Tesla showcase on the White House lawn in March 2025, where Trump announced he would buy a Tesla to support Musk amid global backlash.
Their partnership peaked with public displays of camaraderie. Trump praised Musk as a “patriot” and “friend,” while Musk declared his admiration for Trump, even humorously stating in February 2025, “I love @realDonaldTrump as much as a straight man can love another man.” The two men were frequently seen together, from watching a SpaceX launch in Texas to attending the Army-Navy football game.
The Cracks Begin to Show
Tensions emerged as Musk’s DOGE initiatives clashed with Trump’s broader agenda. Musk’s aggressive cost-cutting, including the mass firing of federal workers and attempts to dismantle agencies like the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), sparked lawsuits and criticism from both Democrats and Republicans. A federal judge in Maryland ruled that Musk and DOGE likely violated the Constitution by overstepping authority, and thousands of terminated workers were rehired.
Musk’s unpopularity grew, with polls showing significant disapproval. A Quinnipiac University poll in April 2025 found 57% of voters believed Musk had too much influence, including 16% of Republicans. In Wisconsin, a state Supreme Court election became a referendum on Musk, with the liberal candidate winning by 10 points after campaigns highlighted Musk’s political overreach.
The relationship strained further when Trump withdrew the nomination of Jared Isaacman, a Musk ally, for NASA administrator in late May 2025. Sources suggested Musk saw this as a personal slight, possibly orchestrated by Sergio Gor, a Trump aide who clashed with Musk. By May 30, 2025, Musk announced his departure from DOGE, citing the end of his 130-day term as a special government employee.
The Feud Ignites Over the “Big, Beautiful Bill”
The public fallout exploded on June 3, 2025, when Musk denounced Trump’s signature tax and spending legislation, dubbed the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” as a “disgusting abomination” on X. The bill, which extended Trump’s 2017 tax cuts and allocated $46.5 billion for border security, was projected by the Congressional Budget Office to increase the federal deficit by $2.4 trillion over a decade. Musk argued it contradicted DOGE’s mission to reduce debt and criticized its cuts to social programs like Medicaid ($698 billion) and SNAP ($267 billion).
On June 5, Trump responded during a press conference with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, expressing disappointment in Musk and mocking his appearance, noting a black eye Musk had not covered with makeup. Trump suggested Musk’s criticism stemmed from the bill’s elimination of electric vehicle (EV) tax credits, which impacted Tesla. Musk fired back on X, claiming, “Without me, Trump would have lost the election,” and alleging Trump’s name appeared in unreleased Jeffrey Epstein files, a claim made without evidence. Musk also supported a post calling for Trump’s impeachment and replacement by Vice President JD Vance.
Trump escalated the feud on Truth Social, claiming he had fired Musk from DOGE and threatening to cancel government contracts with Musk’s companies, Tesla and SpaceX, which could save “billions and billions of dollars.” Musk responded by threatening to decommission SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft, critical for NASA’s International Space Station missions. Tesla’s stock plummeted 14.3% on June 5, wiping out $152 billion in market value, while Trump Media & Technology Group’s shares fell 8%.
Key Points of Contention
- Policy Disagreements: Musk’s opposition to the spending bill centered on its deficit increase and cuts to social programs, which he saw as undermining DOGE’s goals. Trump viewed Musk’s criticism as self-interested, tied to the loss of EV tax credits.
- Personal Leverage: Musk’s $288 million in campaign contributions and ownership of X, with 600 million active users compared to Truth Social’s 6.3 million, gave him significant political and social media clout. Trump, however, wielded presidential authority, threatening Musk’s government contracts.
- Epstein Allegations: Musk’s claim about Trump’s presence in Epstein files was inflammatory but lacked substantiation. Both men have historical ties to Epstein; Musk was photographed with Ghislaine Maxwell in 2014, and Trump called Epstein a “terrific guy” in 2002.
- Political Fallout: The feud has divided Republicans. Allies like Marjorie Taylor Greene backed Trump, while fiscal conservatives like Senator Rand Paul and Representative Thomas Massie supported Musk’s critique of the bill. Democrats, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, aligned with Musk’s opposition to the bill.
Impact and Implications
The Trump-Musk feud has significant implications. Tesla investors, already concerned about Musk’s political involvement, saw further stock declines. SpaceX’s role in NASA and military contracts faces uncertainty if Trump follows through on his threats. Politically, Musk’s threat to fund primary challenges against Republicans supporting the bill could disrupt GOP unity ahead of the 2026 midterms.
Musk’s suggestion of forming a new political party, polling his 220 million X followers on the idea, signals potential long-term ambitions to reshape American politics. Meanwhile, Trump’s focus remains on passing his bill, with White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissing the feud as an “unfortunate episode.”
Conclusion
The Trump-Musk fallout, once an unthinkable clash between two larger-than-life figures, was perhaps inevitable given their competing egos and divergent priorities. From a partnership built on mutual political gain to a public war of words, their conflict underscores the fragility of alliances rooted in convenience. As Musk retreats to his businesses and Trump pushes his legislative agenda, the fallout continues to ripple through financial markets, Republican politics, and public discourse.
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