Trump attacks Musk as public feud escalates over tax-cut bill
President Donald Trump lashed out on Thursday against his ally Elon Musk, saying he was 'disappointed' by the billionaire's public opposition to the sweeping tax-cut and spending bill that is at the heart of Trump's agenda.
'Look, Elon and I had a great relationship. I don't know if we will anymore,' Trump said in the Oval Office, in his first direct response to Musk's criticism. 'He said the most beautiful things about me, and he hasn't said bad about me personally, but I'm sure that'll be next. But I'm, I'm very disappointed in Elon. I've helped Elon a lot.'
Even as Trump was speaking, Tesla CEO Musk unleashed a series of critical responses on X, the social media site he owns.
'Without me, Trump would have lost the election,' he wrote. 'Such ingratitude.'
Shares of electric vehicle maker Tesla were down 9 percent following the outbursts, to their lowest level since late February.
The back-and-forth made it clear tensions had reached a boiling point between the world's most powerful man and the world's richest man, after weeks of speculation that they were headed for a clash of egos.
Musk, whose other companies include rocket company and government contractor SpaceX and its satellite unit Starlink, spent nearly $300 million in the 2024 election in support of Trump and other Republican candidates.
Starting on Tuesday, the tech executive unleashed a series of blistering attacks against what Trump calls his 'big, beautiful bill.' Musk called it a 'disgusting abominatio' that would deepen the federal deficit, amplifying a rift within the Republican Party that could threaten the bill's prospects in the Senate.
Nonpartisan analysts say the bill could add $2.4 trillion to $5 trillion to the nation's $36.2 trillion in debt. Trump asserted that Musk's complaints were motivated by the proposed elimination of consumer tax credits for electric vehicles.
Trump suggested that Musk was upset because he missed working for Trump, who gave Musk a praise-filled sendoff last week after the billionaire oversaw the president's federal bureaucracy cost-cutting campaign.
'He's not the first,' Trump said. 'People leave my administration ... then at some point they miss it so badly, and some of them embrace it and some of them actually become hostile.'
Musk had signaled that he planned to step back from politics, saying last month he planned to substantially scale back his political spending. Friction between him and Trump could hurt Republicans' chances of keeping control of Congress in the 2026 midterm elections.
'Kill the bill'
Musk also wrote, 'Slim Beautiful Bill for the win,' adding 'KILL the BILL.' He followed that up by saying he was fine with Trump's planned cuts to electric vehicle credits as long as Republicans rid the bill of 'mountain of disgusting pork' or wasteful spending.
Musk came into government with brash plans to cut $2 trillion from the federal budget. He left last week having cut only about half of 1 percent of total spending.
Musk's Department of Government Efficiency eliminated thousands of federal jobs and cut billions of dollars in foreign aid and other programs, causing disruption across federal agencies and fueling a wave of legal challenges.
His increasing focus on politics provoked widespread protests at Tesla sites in the US and Europe, driving down sales and adding to investor concerns that Musk's attention was too divided.
In departing the administration, Musk made it clear he planned to focus more of his time on his business empire.
Following Trump's remarks, a White House official, speaking on background, underscored the shift in the once-close dynamic between Musk and Trump.
'The president is making it clear: this White House is not beholden to Elon Musk on policy,' the official said. 'By attacking the bill the way he did, Musk has clearly picked a side.'
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They're experts at generating attention who enjoy stirring the pot by riling up their opponents. Each has sought more power to accomplish existential quests. Trump assails the federal 'deep state' that resisted him during his first term, while Musk warns about the country going bankrupt from excessive spending and promotes an interplanetary future powered by his rocket technology. Musk endorsed Trump after the Republican candidate was nearly assassinated in Butler, Pennsylvania, and he began spending millions to support him. His social media megaphone was a powerful addition to Trump's comeback campaign, magnifying his efforts to court tech leaders and young, very online men. Trump rarely tolerates sharing the spotlight, but he seemed enamored with his powerful backer, mentioning him in stump speeches and welcoming him onstage at rallies. After the election, Musk was a fixture around Mar-a-Lago, posing for photos with Trump's family, joining them for dinner, sitting in on meetings. Instead of growing tired of his 'first buddy,' Trump made plans to bring Musk along to Washington, appointing him to lead a cost-cutting initiative known as the Department of Government Efficiency. Cracks emerge Musk tried to establish himself as the president's omniscient and omnipresent adviser. He held court in Cabinet meetings, slept over in the Lincoln Bedroom and helped himself to caramel ice cream from the White House kitchen. The federal bureaucracy practically trembled before Musk, who oversaw layoffs and downsizing with his team of acolytes and engineers embedded in various agencies. Musk appeared thrilled at his opportunity to tinker with the government and exulted in his bromance with Trump, posting on Feb. 7 that he loved the president 'as much as a straight man can love another man.' Trump returned the favor on March 11, allowing Musk to line up Tesla vehicles on the White House driveway as his company was struggling with declining sales. Trump made a show of choosing a cherry red electric car for himself. But cracks were emerging, especially as Trump pursued tariffs that could raise costs for Musk's businesses. Musk said Peter Navarro, the president's trade adviser, was 'truly a moron' and 'dumber than a sack of bricks' on April 8. The billionaire entrepreneur, who had never before worked in public service, seemed to be souring on government. He suggested there wasn't enough political will, either in Congress or in the White House, to adequately reduce spending. Trump started signaling that it was time for him to leave even though Musk said he would be willing to stay. Shortly before announcing his departure, Musk said he was 'disappointed' by legislation that Trump called the 'big beautiful bill' because it would increase the deficit. The measure includes tax cuts, more money for border security and changes to Medicaid that would leave fewer people with health insurance. 'I think a bill can be big or it could be beautiful,' Musk said. 'But I don't know if it could be both.' The criticism didn't prevent Trump from giving Musk a send-off in the Oval Office, where he presented his outgoing adviser with a ceremonial key. 'Elon is really not leaving,' Trump said. 'He's going to be back and forth.' Musk said, 'I'll continue to be visiting here and be a friend and adviser to the president.' The implosion comes hard and fast It's hard to imagine that now. Musk escalated his attacks on the legislation Tuesday, calling it a 'disgusting abomination,' and Trump tried to fend off the criticism. 'He hasn't said bad about me personally, but I'm sure that will be next,' the president said Thursday in the Oval Office during a meeting with the German chancellor. It was. Musk quickly took to X to vent his anger at Trump, saying his tariffs 'will cause a recession in the second half of this year' and accusing him of lying. He also said it was 'very unfair' that the legislation would eliminate tax incentives for electric vehicles. Trump fired back in real time as he tried to maintain momentum for his legislation, which faces a difficult debate in the Senate. 'I don't mind Elon turning against me, but he should have done so months ago,' the president posted. 'This is one of the Greatest Bills ever presented to Congress.' Meanwhile, some of Trump's allies plotted revenge. Steve Bannon, a former Trump adviser who hosts an influential conservative podcast, said the president should direct the US government to seize SpaceX. He also encouraged Trump to investigate allegations that Musk uses drugs and 'go through everything about his immigration status' in preparation for potential deportation. 'We'll see how good Elon Musk takes a little of that pressure,' Bannon said, 'because I happen to think a little of that pressure might be coming.'
