As Trump and Musk's fallout deepens, has the president finally met his match?
Donald Trump has torn down every opponent who has stood in the way of his political ambitions. In Elon Musk, he may have met his match.
The formidable powers that these two American titans can bring to bear in a full-throated feud suggest that a truce is the most sensible outcome.
But sense was in short supply during a pyrotechnic clash of planetary-sized egos this week that may have ramifications far beyond terrestrial confines and reach into both men's ambitions to conquer space.
No mere politician has been able to withstand the full force of Trump's displeasure and plenty of Republican careers have been cut short by the president mobilising his loyal supporters against them.
But the world's wealthiest man is in a different league. He has a powerful platform in X, formerly Twitter, to insist the emperor has no clothes that could cut through to Trump's base like no Democrat or 'Rino' (Republican in name only) can, as Trump labels detractors in his own party.
Both men own social media sites and conducted their extraordinary break-up in posts aimed at the other on their own respective platforms. This proved costly to their personal fortunes — on Thursday shares in Musk's Tesla car company fell by 14.26 per cent, wiping more than $150 billion off its stock market value, while Trump Media & Technology dropped 8.04 per cent, erasing around $500 million.
Musk, who has 220.5 million followers on X, proved the more relentless, in a warning sign to Trump, who has 9.86 million followers on Truth Social and has not posted on X since Tuesday.
That was the day when Musk snapped, calling the One Big Beautiful Bill that contains all of Trump's tax cuts a 'disgusting abomination'. He followed it with a warning that 'in November next year, we fire all politicians who betrayed the American people'. On Thursday he asked: 'Is it time to create a new political party in America that actually represents the 80 pert cent in the middle?'
However, Musk does not have the same hold over voters as Trump, as shown by his attempt to sway a Wisconsin supreme court judge election which the Democrats romped after turning it into a 'People vs Musk' campaign. But Musk does command support from an influential and wealthy tech community, who were rallying to him on Thursday, and his fortune gives him huge clout in the US system of unlimited election spending. He gave $250 million to help Trump in 2024 and claims this was decisive.
Just four Republican senators are required to sink the One Big Beautiful Bill given the slender majority in the upper chamber and Musk's vocal opposition and financial support could provide some extra fortitude for those thinking of standing up to Trump's formidable powers of persuasion.
Trump's usual approach to truly powerful adversaries is to sound tough from a distance but then make nice in person. This has been the pattern of his interactions with President Putin of Russia and President Xi of China.
But he has not faced a domestic adversary like Musk, who has more money, bigger companies, more social media reach, little political ambition of his own and is unpredictable and uncompromising. All these factors led Susie Wiles, Trump's chief-of-staff, to try and keep him out of the West Wing to avoid becoming a disruptive influence.
Musk is now fighting for his reputation, which has imploded with his natural constituency of liberal America following his 'bromance' with Trump and government cost-cutting. High-profile figures including Bono, the U2 singer, accuse him of responsibility for hundreds of thousands of deaths in Africa for dismantling the US Agency for International Development.
Musk's companies have received $38 billion in federal funds, much of it going to SpaceX. Trump mused on Truth Social: 'The easiest way to save money in our Budget, Billions and Billions of Dollars, is to terminate Elon's Governmental Subsidies and Contracts.'
But there are also some damaging moves Musk could make, such as downplaying or 'shadowbanning' Trump-supporting voices on X while promoting and funding political rivals. Scaling back SpaceX co-operation with Nasa would sink Trump's extraterrestrial ambitions.
Trump was applauded when he said in his inaugural address that: 'We will pursue our manifest destiny into the stars, launching American astronauts to plant the Stars and Stripes on the planet Mars.'
Most of those involved in the space exploration business know this is a fantasy within Trump's term but no-one appears to have told him.
• Gerard Baker: Elon Musk was destined to crash out of Trumpworld
Musk's Dragon spacecraft are the only ones in America capable of ferrying astronauts to the International Space Station. In response to Trump's threat, on Thursday he posted: 'In light of the President's statement about cancellation of my government contracts, @SpaceX will begin decommissioning its Dragon spacecraft immediately.'
True or bluff? That's straight out of Trump's playbook.
Musk's own Mars ambitions include an unmanned mission arriving in 2027, funded by profits from his Starlink satellite business. The ultimate act of one-upmanship would be for SpaceX to land an Optimus 'Tesla Bot' robot on Mars without Nasa and deny Trump the chance to claim it as his own achievement.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
34 minutes ago
- The Independent
Hamlin undeterred by ruling siding with NASCAR in lawsuit filed by Jordan-owned 23XI and Front Row
Denny Hamlin is unfazed that a three-judge federal appellate panel vacated an injunction that required NASCAR to recognize 23XI, which he owns with Michael Jordan, and Front Row as chartered teams as part of an antitrust lawsuit. 'That's just such a small part of the entire litigation,' Hamlin said Saturday, a day ahead of the FireKeepers Casino 400. "I'm not deterred at all. We're in good shape.' Hamlin said Jordan feels the same way. 'He just remains very confident, just like I do,' Hamiln said. NASCAR has not commented on the latest ruling. 23XI and Front Row sued NASCAR late last year after refusing to sign new agreements on charter renewals. They asked for a temporary injunction that would recognize them as chartered teams for this season, but the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Virginia, on Thursday ruled in NASCAR's favor. 'We're looking at all options right now,' Hamlin said. The teams, each winless this year, said they needed the injunction because the current charter agreement prohibits them from suing NASCAR. 23XI also argued it would be harmed because Tyler Reddick's contract would have made him a free agent if the team could not guarantee him a charter-protected car. Hamlin insisted he's not worried about losing drivers because of the uncertainty. 'I'm not focused on that particularly right this second,' he said. Reddick, who was last year's regular-season champion and competed for the Cup title in November, enters the race Sunday at Michigan ranked sixth in the Cup Series standings. The charter system is similar to franchises in other sports, but the charters are revocable by NASCAR and have expiration dates. The six teams may have to compete as 'open' cars and would have to qualify on speed each week to make the race and would receive a fraction of the money. Without a charter, Hamlin said it would cost the teams 'tens of millions,' to run three cars. 'We're committed to run this season open if we have to,' he said. 'We're going to race and fulfill all of our commitments no matter what. We're here to race. Our team is going to be here for the long haul and we're confident of that.' The antitrust case isn't scheduled to be heard until December. NASCAR has not said what it would do with the six charters held by the two organizations if they are returned to the sanctioning body. There are 36 chartered cars for a 40-car field. 'We feel like facts were on our side,' Hamlin said. 'I think if you listen to the judges, even they mentioned that we might be in pretty good shape.' ___
Daily Mail
37 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
TSA reveals futuristic virtual reality technology for airport security checkpoints
The TSA is developing a high-tech tool that could revolutionize airport security: pat-downs using virtual reality gear that let agents 'feel' for threats - without ever laying a finger on passengers. The concept, called the Wearable Sensor for Contactless Physical Assessment (WSCPA), is still in early development. If approved, it would allow officers to employ VR headsets, haptic gloves, and touchless sensors to simulate the feeling of touch - helping them identify hidden objects without intruding on a passenger's personal space. 'The innovation uses touchless sensors to register the object's contours and generate feedback to physically replicate the target object,' according to a Department of Homeland Security overview of the project. 'It enables physical sensation and assessment without direct contact.' Here's how it works: The WSCPA system scans the body using advanced imaging methods like millimeter wave, LiDAR, or backscatter X-ray. That information is turned into a 'contour map' of the object or body part being examined. This map is relayed to the glove, where haptic feedback - subtle vibrations or pressure - mimics the sensation of touching the mapped area in real time. 'A user fits the device over their hand. When the touchless sensors in the device are within range of the targeted object, the sensors in the pad detect the target object's contours to produce sensor data,' the DHS said. The TSA is developing a futuristic screening device called the Wearable Sensor for Contactless Physical Assessment (WSCPA) that would allow agents to perform virtual pat-downs without physical contact Pictured: Sketch of the proposed product found in its' US Patent Application 'The contour detection data runs through a mapping algorithm... then relayed to the back surface that contacts the user's hand through haptic feedback.' The result is a virtual pat-down that still allows for a physical assessment - but one that's private, contactless, and more dignified for passengers. DHS describes several key advantages to the system, including the ability to 'preserve privacy during body scanning and pat-down screening,' 'elevate user safety when assessing a potentially dangerous object,' and 'enhance situational awareness for visually impaired individuals.' Beyond transportation security, DHS suggests the device could eventually be adapted for medical exams, visual assistance tools, and immersive educational programs. The project is being led by TSA researcher William Hastings, and the DHS's Office of Industry Partnerships is currently seeking commercial partners to help advance the technology. It's being offered for licensing through the agency's Technology Transfer and Commercialization Branch (T2C). The technology is currently in the 'conceptual' phase, according to DHS, but it is protected under a U.S. Patent Application. Illustrations included in the patent show a user strapping the device to their hand and holding it near a body part or object to conduct a contactless assessment - a process that could one day replace the standard pat-down at TSA checkpoints. The device is still in the conceptual stage but is being offered for commercial licensing If fully realized, the WSCPA system could offer a more respectful and streamlined experience for passengers while maintaining the effectiveness of airport security protocols. Instead of being physically searched, travelers might one day be assessed by an officer using what amounts to virtual fingertips - all powered by sensors and simulation. While it may sound futuristic, the TSA is actively exploring ways to bring this technology to life, signaling a broader shift toward noninvasive, tech-driven screening methods. As DHS puts it, the WSCPA could provide 'realistic virtual reality immersion' while remaining 'handheld and portable for use in small spaces.'
The Guardian
37 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Protesters clash with police at federal detention centre after LA Ice raids
At least 45 people were arrested in Los Angeles on Saturday as people demonstrated against coordinated raids throughout the city by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) officers, said the rights group Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights. Ice agents were seen using pepper spray and smoke grenades to disperse the protesters. Federal immigration authorities have been ramping up arrests across the country to fulfil the president's promise of mass deportations
