A simmering conflict between former allies Donald Trump and Elon Musk has exploded into a full-blown public spat, marking a dramatic unraveling of their once-cooperative relationship.
The feud, which ignited over a controversial domestic spending bill, saw both men exchanging sharp insults throughout Thursday on their respective social media platforms—Truth Social and X—fueling speculation of a permanent rupture in their alliance.
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A Fallout in the Making
The tension became unmistakable after President Trump, speaking to reporters, expressed his “disappointment” in Musk’s scathing remarks about his administration’s flagship tax and spending bill. Describing the moment as potentially “the end of a great relationship,” Trump appeared visibly frustrated.
Musk, in turn, accused Trump of “ingratitude,” boldly asserting, “Without me, Trump would have lost the election.” The billionaire entrepreneur was referencing his political support and financial contributions—reportedly amounting to $290 million—which were instrumental in Trump’s return to the White House following an assassination attempt last July.
A Day of Digital Warfare
The public fallout quickly intensified, playing out in real-time across social media. Musk unleashed a barrage of criticisms on X, lambasting the bill as a “disgusting abomination” and urging citizens to lobby their representatives against it. He further claimed that the legislation would recklessly balloon the national debt and strip millions of Americans of government-backed healthcare, citing figures from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office which estimates a $2.4 trillion increase in debt over the next decade.
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Trump, appearing alongside German Chancellor Friedrich Merz during a press conference, defended the bill, insisting Musk had once been one of its most informed backers. “All of a sudden he has a problem,” Trump quipped, suggesting Musk’s opposition was rooted in the bill’s removal of electric vehicle subsidies—something that could impact Tesla.
Musk denied any financial motivations, responding: “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.”
False, 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! https://t.co/V4ztekqd4g
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 5, 2025
In U.S. political jargon, “pork” refers to government spending viewed as wasteful or targeted primarily to please specific constituencies.
From Political Partners to Public Rivals
The Trump-Musk alliance began in earnest after Musk publicly endorsed Trump in 2024, shortly after the failed assassination attempt. Their alignment marked a powerful convergence of political and tech industry influence. Musk later joined the Trump administration as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (Doge), a role in which he undertook sweeping budget cuts—reportedly eliminating entire agencies like USAID. Though Doge claims it saved $180 billion during his short 129-day tenure, that figure remains contested and far short of Musk’s original $2 trillion savings goal.
The fallout has now cast a shadow over that partnership. In a particularly inflammatory post, Musk even suggested Trump could be implicated in unreleased files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein—a claim swiftly condemned by the White House as “unfounded and irresponsible.”
Market Reactions and Political Fallout
Tesla’s stock plummeted by 14% amid the ongoing row, as investors reacted to Musk’s erratic behavior and his threat—later rescinded—to decommission SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft, a critical component of U.S. space operations.
Trump, meanwhile, escalated the dispute by proposing an end to government subsidies and contracts for Musk’s companies. “The easiest way to save money in our Budget, Billions and Billions of Dollars, is to terminate Elon’s Governmental Subsidies and Contracts,” he posted on Truth Social. “I was always surprised that Biden didn’t do it!”
Musk initially responded by announcing plans to shut down SpaceX’s Dragon program but later appeared to retreat, replying to a user on X: “Ok, we won’t decommission Dragon.”
Despite the fiery exchange, both camps seem to be seeking a potential path to reconciliation. Trump aides have reportedly scheduled a call with Musk for Friday, while Musk himself acknowledged a comment from investor Bill Ackman urging peace between the two, writing simply: “You’re not wrong.”
What Lies Ahead?
As Washington braces for the next chapter of this unfolding drama, analysts say the spat could have broader implications—not just for Trump’s legislative agenda, but also for Musk’s political ambitions, influence in the tech sector, and the trajectory of Republican unity heading into 2026.
While both men are known for their larger-than-life personas and combative styles, their latest clash underscores a deeper ideological and strategic divide. Whether this signals a permanent parting of ways or a temporary squabble between two towering egos remains to be seen.