Fact Check: Yes, Musk shared post calling for Trump's impeachment
Claim:
On June 5, 2025, Elon Musk shared a post on X calling for U.S. President Donald Trump to be impeached.
Rating:
Days after leaving his role at the Department of Government Efficiency initiative, created by U.S. President Donald Trump, tech billionaire Elon Musk took part in a social media feud with his former ally.
Musk alleged on X, his social media site, that Trump was named in the Epstein files and would have lost the 2024 presidential election without him and also posted a poll asking whether it was time to form a new political party.
He also, according to some online, shared a post calling for Trump to be impeached.
He did indeed share such a post — the claim is true.
Conservative influencer Ian Miles Cheong posted a screenshot of Musk's Epstein files accusation, saying he would back Musk against the president and called for Trump to be impeached and replaced with Vice President JD Vance.
Musk's repost of the statement simply read "Yes."
In Trump's first term, the House of Representatives impeached him twice. He was charged with obstruction of Congress and abuse of power in 2019 after allegedly attempting to push Ukraine to investigate future President Joe Biden by withholding military aid. The Republican-controlled Senate acquitted him in 48-52 and 47-53 votes. (Sen. Mitt Romney, a Republican, broke with his party and voted guilty on the first charge).
A week before he left office, Trump was impeached a second time on a charge of incitement of insurrection over his role in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. The Senate again acquitted him, although the trial took place after he left office. The second time around, 57 senators (including seven Republicans) voted to remove Trump from office. However, they fell short of the two-thirds majority, or 67 votes, required.
Ewing, Philip. "'Not Guilty': Trump Acquitted On 2 Articles Of Impeachment As Historic Trial Closes." NPR, 5 Feb. 2020. NPR, https://www.npr.org/2020/02/05/801429948/not-guilty-trump-acquitted-on-2-articles-of-impeachment-as-historic-trial-closes.
---. "President Trump Impeached By The House In Historic Rebuke." NPR, 18 Dec. 2019. NPR, https://www.npr.org/2019/12/18/789020525/president-trump-impeached-by-the-house-in-historic-rebuke.
Liles, Jordan. "Yes, Musk Alleged Trump Appears in the Epstein Files." Snopes, 5 June 2025, https://www.snopes.com//fact-check/elon-musk-epstein-trump/.
Loe, Megan. "Musk Said 'Trump Would Have Lost the Election' without Him." Snopes, 5 June 2025, https://www.snopes.com//fact-check/musk-trump-2024-election-results/.
Montanaro, Domenico. "Senate Acquits Trump In Impeachment Trial — Again." NPR, 13 Feb. 2021. NPR, https://www.npr.org/sections/trump-impeachment-trial-live-updates/2021/02/13/967098840/senate-acquits-trump-in-impeachment-trial-again.
Pager, Tyler, et al. "A Disillusioned Musk, Distanced From Trump, Says He's Exiting Washington." The New York Times, 28 May 2025, https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/28/us/politics/elon-musk-trump-doge.html.
Pager, Tyler, and Theodore Schleifer. "Live Updates: Trump Threatens to Cut Elon Musk's Government Contracts as Feud Escalates." The New York Times, 5 June 2025. NYTimes.com, https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/06/05/us/trump-elon-musk.
Shan, Cindy. "Musk Posted X Poll Asking If It's Time for 3rd US Political Party." Snopes, 5 June 2025, https://www.snopes.com//fact-check/musk-3rd-us--political-party/.
"Trump Gives Elon Musk an Oval Office Sendoff, Crediting Him with 'Colossal Change.'" AP News, 30 May 2025, https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-donald-trump-doge-e09ac9f31cb2eb2e2d815a66cdffb7ba.
"Trump Impeached after Capitol Riot in Historic Second Charge." AP News, 14 Jan. 2021, https://apnews.com/article/trump-impeachment-vote-capitol-siege-0a6f2a348a6e43f27d5e1dc486027860.
Trump Impeachment: The Short, Medium and Long Story. 23 Sept. 2019. www.bbc.com, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-49800181.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


San Francisco Chronicle
19 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Judge says administration can dismantle the Institute of Museum and Library Services
WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge on Friday denied a request by the American Library Association to halt the Trump administration's further dismantling of an agency that funds and promotes libraries across the country, saying that recent court decisions suggested his court lacked jurisdiction to hear the matter. U.S. District Judge Richard Leon had previously agreed to temporarily block the Republican administration, saying that plaintiffs were likely to show that Trump doesn't have the legal authority to unilaterally shutter the Institute of Museum and Library Services, which was created by Congress. But in Friday's ruling, Leon wrote that as much as the 'Court laments the Executive Branch's efforts to cut off this lifeline for libraries and museums,' recent court decisions suggested that the case should be heard in a separate court dedicated to contractual claims. He cited the Supreme Court's decision allowing the administration to cut hundreds of millions of dollars in teacher-training money despite a lower court order barring the cuts, saying that cases seeking reinstatement of federal grants should be heard in the Court of Federal Claims. The American Library Association and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees filed a lawsuit to stop the administration from gutting the institute after President Donald Trump signed a March 14 executive order that refers to it and several other federal agencies as 'unnecessary.' The agency's appointed acting director then placed many agency staff members on administrative leave, sent termination notices to most of them, began canceling grants and contracts and fired all members of the National Museum and Library Services Board. However, a Rhode Island judge's order prohibiting the government from shutting down the museum and library services institute in a separate case brought by several states remains in place. The administration is appealing that order as well.
Yahoo
21 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Louisiana Board of Ethics decides on LPSS board member's request
LAFAYETTE, La (KLFY) — Back in March, Lafayette Parish School Board Member Jeremy Hidalgo requested a formal opinion from the Louisiana Board of Ethics. This is regarding his position on the school board and his business partnerships with vendors. News 10 was present during the board's decision. The Louisiana Board of Ethics decided to prohibit LPSS Board Member, Jeremy Hidalgo, from soliciting and receiving sponsorships from vendors seeking to partner with his local business, if they work for or provide goods and services to LPSS. Hidalgo owns a local bar that hosts a customer appreciation night once a month where other businesses partner with him to provide free meals for attendees. In a letter to the board, Hidalgo indicates that the businesses he partners with gain exposure as sponsors because they volunteer to cook meals and provide a limited bar tab during the events. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now In that same letter, he also indicates being approached by business owners who supply goods or services to LPSS and are interested in sponsoring a meal and tab at his bar. With a Louisiana law prohibiting public officials from accepting gifts, money, or anything of value directly or indirectly if the person is doing business with their agency, an advisory opinion was proposed to prohibit Hidalgo from receiving sponsorships from any vendor that has a relationship with LPSS. It was also recommended to adopt that proposal to which the board of ethics approved staff recommendations. News 10 contacted LPSS and Hidalgo for comment on the board's decision but has not heard back as of news time. As this story develops, updates will be posted here. Supreme Court turns away RNC challenge to Pennsylvania ballot ruling Cecilia family recounts losing home and cherished memories in fire Some Republicans hope Trump, Musk mend fences after blistering breakup 90 Plus: Myrtle Toups Clement Louisiana Board of Ethics decides on LPSS board member's request Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
21 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Trump asks aides if they think Musk's behavior could be related to alleged drug use, source says
President Donald Trump has asked aides and advisers if they believe Elon Musk's behavior over the past 48 hours could be related to his alleged drug use, privately seeking to understand the tech billionaire's broadsides against him while signaling publicly he doesn't care, a source familiar with the conversations told CNN. In his own telling, Trump is not wasting any time thinking about the man who, one week ago, was receiving a giant golden key in the Oval Office and has since lobbed insults toward its occupant. The president told CNN's Dana Bash in a brief phone call Friday morning he was 'not even thinking about Elon' and wouldn't be speaking to Musk 'for a while.' But questions about the spectacularly public break-up have come nonetheless. Talking to reporters on Air Force One Friday night, Trump said he would 'take a look at' canceling some of Musk's government contracts, a possibility he had floated on Truth Social in the height of their feud, and asserted the country would be fine without them. 'The US can survive without almost anybody – except me,' he said, adding that he was joking on the latter point. Though the source said Trump had privately inquired about Musk's alleged drug use, the president declined to weigh in on the matter publicly. 'I don't want to comment on his drug use. I don't know - I don't know what his status is,' he said on Air Force One, adding that New York Times reporting on the matter 'sounded very unfair.' CNN has reached out to a Musk representative. When Musk was asked about the report during his Oval Office farewell with Trump a week ago, he declined to answer and attacked the newspaper instead. The Times reported that Musk was 'using drugs far more intensely than previously known,' as he rose to prominence in Trump's inner circle in 2024, including 'using ketamine often, sometimes daily, and mixing it with other drugs,' according to people familiar. In a 2024 interview with Don Lemon, Musk acknowledged he took 'a small amount' of ketamine to treat negative moods, under a prescription, but that a heavy workload prevented him from using too much. Neither Musk nor his lawyer responded to the Times' request for comment about his drug use. CNN also reached out to his representative about the allegations at the time. Last week, White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, whose wife Katie Miller left a job with the Department of Government Efficiency to work for Musk, told CNN he had no concerns over the New York Times report that Musk used drugs more extensively than previously known. In the day since the Trump-Musk feud erupted on their respective social media platforms, Trump's aides said the president has been focused on advancing that supersized bill that started the whole thing, and has directed his team to follow suit. His online presence Friday morning was limited to posts about the economy, without any mention of the tech billionaire. He spent the morning on the phone — not with Musk, but with the new president of South Korea, whom he invited to the US for talks. He chatted with the president of Poland about the upcoming NATO summit. And before traveling to Bedminster, New Jersey, in the evening, he stopped to tour a golf course. Whether the president is successful in turning attention away from the ugly spat remains to be seen. The Justice Department's announcement late Friday afternoon that Kilmar Abrego Garcia has returned to the US to face criminal counts began to shift the narrative. Nor was it precisely clear what effect the wreckage of the Trump-Musk alliance would have on the president's agenda bill being considered by Congress, on Musk's businesses or on the direction of the Republican Party. All seemed potentially caught in the undertow after the two men spent Thursday afternoon and evening lashing out at each other online. A tipping point for Trump and his advisers, people familiar with what was happening behind the scenes said, was Musk's linkage of the president to Jeffrey Epstein. Musk suggested the administration wasn't releasing information about the convicted pedophile because it invokes Trump. (Musk cited no evidence and gave no detail how he would have gained access to unreleased files.) White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt called his claims an 'unfortunate episode' in a Thursday evening statement. After that, any chance of reconciliation appeared to be scuttled. For Trump, Musk's criticism of the major legislative package could only embolden Republicans who share the tech CEO's concerns the bill would explode the US deficit. Rep. Thomas Massie, who voted against the bill, told CNN that he thinks Musk's opposition could fuel buyer's remorse. And Rep. Michael McCaul, who supported it, said he worries that a prolonged fight between Musk and Trump could become a distraction for getting Trump's agenda passed, before going on to cite 'very good intelligence' that the two men would soon settle their spat. But Musk – who less than a month ago had said he'd spend 'a lot less' on politics – has also threatened to put his substantial spending power behind efforts to remove from office Republicans who vote for the bill. After spending more than $290 million to help elect Trump and Republicans last year, the future of Musk's political spending now appears unknown. Funds Musk privately promised to groups associated with Trump are now in doubt. One powerful Trump ally, Steve Bannon, suggested Trump use his power to go after Musk in multiple ways. He said on his 'War Room Live' show Thursday that Trump should begin deportation proceedings for Musk, saying he is 'illegal' and has 'got to go.' Musk was born in South Africa but became an American citizen in 2002. Bannon also suggested the Trump administration investigate Musk's alleged drug use, and potentially suspend his security clearance. Still, allies of both seemed to hold out hope the rupture would not be permanent, and that the two most dominant figures in current Republican politics might be able to patch things up. 'I'm not going to speak for either of them. I was with the president in the Oval Office yesterday afternoon as some of this unfolded. And I can just say he was disappointed. I mean, he said that himself. And I was, as well,' House Speaker Mike Johnson said Friday. 'I believe in redemption,' Johnson went on. 'I hope we can resolve it, get everybody together again. That's really important for all of us.' CNN's Hadas Gold, Molly English, Lauren Fox and Betsy Klein contributed to this report.