Rift Erupts: Trump and Musk Lock Horns in D.C.
Modern-Day Power Clash: Trump vs. Musk
The bond between US President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk has deteriorated into threats, abuse, and accusations, turning a casual friendship into an intense feud.
The catalyst for this dispute was the disagreement over Trump's tax and spending legislation. Trump felt surprised by Musk's criticism of his "grandiose" bill, saying their relationship might not last. Trump's claim that Musk was upset due to the removal of electric vehicle subsidies was met with a denial from Musk, who stated his opposition was centered on the bill's impact on the US government debt.
The heated exchange unfolded on social media, with Musk tweeting on X, "Without me, Trump would have lost the election. Dems would control the House, and Republicans would be 51-49 in the Senate." Musk's sentiments were met with a response from Trump on his Truth Social platform, stating, "The easiest way to save money in our budget, billions, and billions of dollars, is to terminate Elon's governmental subsidies and contracts."
In response to Trump's post, Musk stated, "@SpaceX will begin decommissioning its Dragon spacecraft immediately." Tesla's share price took a significant hit, dropping nearly 15%. Musk continued the row by claiming that Trump appeared in unreleased government files related to late billionaire Jeffrey Epstein and endorsed calls for Trump's impeachment on his X account.
The billionaire further stated that Trump's tariffs would cause a recession in the second half of the year. The feud intensified when Steve Bannon, a key supporter of Trump, called for Musk to be deported, citing suspicion about Musk's immigration status.
Rewind to the BeginningsInitially, Musk and Trump developed a close relationship during Trump's campaign. Musk, who had previously been critical of Trump, began to align with his political views, leading to Musk becoming a key figure in Trump's campaign[1]. He went as far as to label himself "first buddy" to Trump, indicating a strong public alliance[1].
Later, Musk served as head of the Department of Government Efficiency, tasked with slashing the federal budget[1]. However, their mutual discontent began to surface when Musk criticized the spending bill and continued to grow as Musk continued to critique Trump's policies and actions[1].
The feud escalated dramatically when Musk made unfounded claims of Trump's involvement in files related to Jeffrey Epstein[2]. As the conflict became increasingly personal, both figures engaged in a barrage of Twitter attacks, with each trying to outdo the other[1][2].
Overall, the feud between Trump and Musk originated from political disagreements, personal grievances, and public jabs, transforming what was once a close friendship into a bitter rivalry.
- Despite initially aligning during Trump's campaign, Musk's criticism of Trump's spending bill and policies led to a transformation of their close friendship into a heated feud.
- Both Musk and Trump's involvement in the entertainment sphere – manifested through social media exchanges – has increasingly served as a platform for their personal criticisms and political disagreements, extending beyond general-news topics to include entertainment and markets-related discussions.
