Trump threatens Musk with DOGE and deportation as feud reignites
As the public war of words between the former political allies escalated on Tuesday, Trump also said that the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) — which the tech billionaire formerly spearheaded — could review the massive US government subsidies awarded to Musk's businesses, which include Tesla and SpaceX.
When asked by a reporter on Tuesday if he was considering deporting Musk, a South African national and a naturalized US citizen, Trump said: "I don't know, we'll have to take a look."
"We might have to put DOGE on Elon. You know what DOGE is. DOGE is the monster that might have to go back and eat Elon," Trump said.
"If DOGE looks at Musk, we're going to save a fortune," he added later on Tuesday.
Although Musk heavily backed Trump during his reelection campaign and was rewarded with the DOGE project, their alliance appeared to come to a dramatic end a month ago.The beef between the pair began in early June when Musk criticised Trump's tax cuts and spending bill, calling it a "disgusting abomination".In response, Trump threatened to target Musk's companies, with the tech mogul in turn calling for the US president to be impeached.While Musk backtracked on some of his attacks and Trump wished him well, hostilities resumed on Monday when the world's richest man once again criticised the tax cuts and spending bill, which the US president has described as "big and beautiful".Musk lashed out at Republicans for backing the bill, referring to it as "political suicide" and calling the GOP the "Porky Pig party".He also renewed threats to start a new political party, called the "America Party", if the bill passed. The legislation was passed by the US Senate on Tuesday by the narrowest of margins, and now goes back to the House for possible final approval.The US "needs an alternative to the Democrat-Republican uniparty so that the people actually have a voice," Musk wrote on Monday on X, the social media platform he owns.That came after Musk, who spent hundreds of millions of dollars on Trump's reelection campaign, said in May that he would likely spend "a lot less" on politics in the future.In response to Musk's latest criticism and threats, Trump on Tuesday suggested that Musk could lose subsidies for his businesses."No more rocket launches, satellites, or electric car production, and our country would save a fortune," the US president wrote on Truth Social.Without subsidies, Musk "would probably have to close up shop and head back home to South Africa," Trump added.Musk, for his part, has continued to criticise the tax cuts and spending bill on X, sharing posts that supported his view of the legislation, including memes and claims that it would drive up the national debt. — Euronews
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Al Arabiya
2 hours ago
- Al Arabiya
Netanyahu vows to uproot Hamas as ceasefire proposals are discussed
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday vowed to eradicate Hamas, even as the Palestinian militant group said it was discussing new proposals from mediators for a ceasefire in Gaza. The Israeli leader had yet to comment on US President Donald Trump's claim that Israel had backed a plan for a 60-day truce in its offensive against Hamas in the war-ravaged territory. But a week ahead of talks scheduled with Trump in Washington, he vowed to 'destroy' Hamas 'down to their very foundation.' Hamas said it was 'conducting national consultations to discuss' the proposals submitted in negotiations mediated by Qatar and Egypt. Nearly 21 months of war have created dire humanitarian conditions for the more than two million people in the Gaza Strip, where Israel has recently expanded its military operations. The civil defense agency said that Israeli forces had killed at least 47 people on Wednesday. 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Out of 251 hostages seized by Palestinian militants in October 2023, 49 are still held in Gaza, including 27 the Israeli military says are dead. A Palestinian source familiar with the mediated negotiations told AFP that 'there are no fundamental changes in the new proposal' under discussion compared to previous terms presented by the United States. The source said that the new proposal 'includes a 60-day truce, during which Hamas would release half of the living Israeli captives in the Gaza Strip, in exchange for Israel releasing a number of Palestinian prisoners and detainees.' In southern Gaza, civil defense spokesman Mahmud Bassal told AFP that five members of the same family were killed in an Israeli air strike on Wednesday that hit a tent housing displaced people in the Al-Mawasi area. Despite being declared a safe zone by Israel in December 2023, Al-Mawasi has been hit by repeated Israeli strikes. AFP footage from the area showed makeshift tents blown apart as Palestinians picked through the wreckage trying to salvage what was left of their belongings. 'They came here thinking it was a safe area and they were killed. What did they do?' said one resident, Maha Abu Rizq, against a backdrop of destruction. AFP footage from nearby Khan Yunis city showed infants covered in blood being rushed into Nasser Hospital. One man carrying a child whose face was smeared with blood screamed: 'Children, children!' Among other fatalities, Bassal later reported five people killed by Israeli army fire near an aid distribution site close to the southern city of Rafah and a further death following Israeli fire near an aid site in the center of the territory. They were the latest in a string of deadly incidents that have hit people trying to receive food. Media restrictions in Gaza and difficulties in accessing many areas mean AFP is unable to independently verify the tolls and details provided by rescuers. Contacted by AFP, the Israeli military said it 'is operating to dismantle Hamas military capabilities' in line with 'international law, and takes feasible precautions to mitigate civilian harm.' It said in a statement that a 19-year-old sergeant in its forces 'fell during combat in the northern Gaza Strip.' The military late on Wednesday issued a fresh evacuation warning to residents for three neighborhoods of Gaza City, urging them to flee south to the Mawasi area. Israeli forces are 'operating with extreme intensity in the area and will attack any location being used to launch missiles towards the State of Israel,' Arabic-language spokesman Avichay Adraee said in a message on Telegram. 'The destruction of terrorist organizations will continue and expand into the city center, encompassing all neighborhoods of the city,' Avichay wrote. The military earlier said that its air force had intercepted two 'projectiles' that crossed from northern Gaza into Israeli territory. Israel launched its offensive in response to Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack which resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures. Israel's retaliatory military campaign has killed at least 57,012 people in Gaza, also mostly civilians, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry. The United Nations considers its figures reliable.
Arab News
4 hours ago
- Arab News
Netanyahu vows to uproot Hamas as ceasefire proposals are discussed
Gaza City, Palestinian Territories: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday vowed to eradicate Hamas, even as the Palestinian militant group said it was discussing new proposals from mediators for a ceasefire in Gaza. The Israeli leader had yet to comment on US President Donald Trump's claim that Israel had backed a plan for a 60-day truce in its offensive against Hamas in the war-ravaged territory. But a week ahead of talks scheduled with Trump in Washington, he vowed to 'destroy' Hamas 'down to their very foundation.' Hamas said it was 'conducting national consultations to discuss' the proposals submitted in negotiations mediated by Qatar and Egypt. Nearly 21 months of war have created dire humanitarian conditions for the more than two million people in the Gaza Strip, where Israel has recently expanded its military operations. The civil defense agency said that Israeli forces had killed at least 47 people on Wednesday. Among the dead was Marwan Al-Sultan, director of the Indonesian Hospital, a key clinic in the north of Gaza, Palestinian officials said. Trump on Tuesday urged Hamas to accept a 60-day ceasefire, saying that Israel had agreed to finalize such a deal. Hamas said in a statement that it was studying the latest proposals and aiming 'to reach an agreement that guarantees ending the aggression, achieving the withdrawal (of Israeli forces from Gaza) and urgently aiding our people in the Gaza Strip.' Netanyahu vowed however: 'We will free all our hostages, and we will eliminate Hamas. It will be no more,' in filmed comments in the city of Ashkelon near Gaza's northern border. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar earlier said that he saw 'some positive signs,' amid high pressure to bring home the hostages. 'We are serious in our will to reach a hostage deal and a ceasefire,' he said. 'Our goal is to begin proximity talks as soon as possible.' Out of 251 hostages seized by Palestinian militants in October 2023, 49 are still held in Gaza, including 27 the Israeli military says are dead. A Palestinian source familiar with the mediated negotiations told AFP that 'there are no fundamental changes in the new proposal' under discussion compared to previous terms presented by the United States. The source said that the new proposal 'includes a 60-day truce, during which Hamas would release half of the living Israeli captives in the Gaza Strip, in exchange for Israel releasing a number of Palestinian prisoners and detainees.' In southern Gaza, civil defense spokesman Mahmud Bassal told AFP that five members of the same family were killed in an Israeli air strike on Wednesday that hit a tent housing displaced people in the Al-Mawasi area. Despite being declared a safe zone by Israel in December 2023, Al-Mawasi has been hit by repeated Israeli strikes. AFP footage from the area showed makeshift tents blown apart as Palestinians picked through the wreckage trying to salvage what was left of their belongings. 'They came here thinking it was a safe area and they were killed. What did they do?' said one resident, Maha Abu Rizq, against a backdrop of destruction. AFP footage from nearby Khan Yunis city showed infants covered in blood being rushed into Nasser Hospital. One man carrying a child whose face was smeared with blood screamed: 'Children, children!' Among other fatalities, Bassal later reported five people killed by Israeli army fire near an aid distribution site close to the southern city of Rafah and a further death following Israeli fire near an aid site in the center of the territory. They were the latest in a string of deadly incidents that have hit people trying to receive food. Media restrictions in Gaza and difficulties in accessing many areas mean AFP is unable to independently verify the tolls and details provided by rescuers. Contacted by AFP, the Israeli military said it 'is operating to dismantle Hamas military capabilities' in line with 'international law, and takes feasible precautions to mitigate civilian harm.' It said in a statement that a 19-year-old sergeant in its forces 'fell during combat in the northern Gaza Strip.' The military late on Wednesday issued a fresh evacuation warning to residents for three neighborhoods of Gaza City, urging them to flee south to the Mawasi area. Israeli forces are 'operating with extreme intensity in the area and will attack any location being used to launch missiles toward the State of Israel,' Arabic-language spokesman Avichay Adraee said in a message on Telegram. 'The destruction of terrorist organizations will continue and expand into the city center, encompassing all neighborhoods of the city,' Avichay wrote. The military earlier said that its air force had intercepted two 'projectiles' that crossed from northern Gaza into Israeli territory. Israel launched its offensive in response to Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack which resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures. Israel's retaliatory military campaign has killed at least 57,012 people in Gaza, also mostly civilians, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry. The United Nations considers its figures reliable.
Arab News
4 hours ago
- Arab News
Trump ramps up his attacks against NYC's Zohran Mamdani as GOP seizes on new foe
NEW YORK: President Donald Trump has a new political foil: New York's Democratic nominee for mayor, Zohran Mamdani. The president, who has a history of spewing sometimes vile insults at rivals, has in recent days escalated his attacks against the 33-year-old self-described democratic socialist. Trump has threatened to arrest Mamdani, to deport him and even to take over the country's largest city if he wins the general election in November. 'As President of the United States, I'm not going to let this Communist Lunatic destroy New York. Rest assured, I hold all the levers, and have all the cards,' Trump wrote in an ominous message on his Truth Social site Wednesday morning. 'I'll save New York City, and make it ′Hot′ and ′Great′ again, just like I did with the Good Ol' USA!' Mamdani's surprise victory over former New York Gov. 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Though he softened his stance as he campaigned, he called the New York Police Department 'racist, anti-queer and a major threat to public safety' in a 2020 social media post, and in others, called for abolishing the entire prison system. He has also drawn intense criticism from members of both parties over his pro-Palestinian advocacy. That has included describing Israel's war in Gaza as 'genocide,' his refusal to disavow use of the phrase 'globalize the intifada,' which is seen as a call to violence for many Jews. Also, for his refusal to support the right of Israel to exist as a Jewish state. His rise has sparked infighting and highlighted divisions among national Democratic officials, donors and political operatives. While many progressives have celebrated, seeing him as the future of a party aligned with leaders like Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, moderates have bemoaned the election's outcome as a setback in their quest to broaden Democrats' appeal and move past the more controversial policies that appears to have alienated some voters in recent elections. Trump threatens Mamdani's citizenship Trump unleashed some of his sharpest threats against Mamdani Tuesday, during a visit to a new migrant detention center in the Florida Everglades. If Mamdani blocks ICE agents from making arrests in the city, 'Well, then we'll have to arrest him,' he said. 'Look, we don't need a communist in this country. But if we have one, I'm going to be watching over him very carefully on behalf of the nation.' Trump also amplified a false allegation that Mamdani, who was born in Uganda to Indian parents and came to New York when he was 7, is in the country illegally. 'A lot of people are saying he's here illegally. We're going to look at everything,' he said. Mamdani, who is Muslim, became a naturalized American citizen a few years after he graduated from college. If elected, he would be the city's first Muslim and Indian American mayor. Mamdani addressed the criticism during an appearance Wednesday, telling reporters that Trump is focusing on him to distract the public from the Republican mega tax and spending cuts bill that is moving through Congress. 'Donald Trump said that I should be arrested. He said that I should be deported. He said that I should be denaturalized. And he said those things about me ... because he wants to distract from what I fight for,' he said. 'I fight for the same people that he said he was fighting for. This is the same president who ran on a campaign of cheaper groceries, who ran on a campaign about easing the suffocating cost of living crisis. And ultimately, it is easier for him to fan the flames of division than to acknowledge the ways in which he has betrayed those working-class Americans.' Conservatives have turned their focus on Mamdani Until Mamdani's win, Trump and other Republicans had struggled to find a compelling foil. He frequently invokes his predecessor, Joe Biden. But with Democrats out of power and without a clear party leader, Trump has bounced from one official to the next, recently focusing his ire on Texas progressive Rep. Jasmine Crockett. Since Mamdani's national rise and toppling of Cuomo, conservative politicians and commentators have turned their focus on him. That effort was on display Wednesday, when Republicans blasted House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries for defending Mamdani. 'Leader' Jeffries Just Bent the Knee to Commie Mamdani,' the National Republican Congressional Committee wrote in an email blast, adding: 'This radical platform is the future of the Democrat Party, and voters should be terrified.' The attacks have been brewing. Weeks before the primary, Vickie Paladino, a Republican member of the New York City Council, called for Mamdani to be deported. After Mamdani declared victory over Cuomo last week, Rep. Randy Fine, a Florida Republican, wrote on X that 'If Mamdani has his way, NYC classrooms won't be teaching the Constitution in civics class. They'll be teaching Sharia Law.' Another Republican congressman, Rep. Brandon Gill of Texas, circulated a video of Mamdani eating a rice dish with his hands on X and wrote, 'Civilized people in America don't eat like this. If you refuse to adopt Western customs, go back to the Third World.' Republican Rep. Andy Ogles, of Tennessee, late last month wrote a letter to US Attorney General Pam Bondi calling for the Justice Department to investigate whether Mamdani should be denaturalized as a citizen.
