Trump ‘disappointed' in Musk, who hits back at US president's ‘ingratitude'
Tensions between Donald Trump and Elon Musk exploded into public view on Thursday, as the US president said he was 'very disappointed' by his billionaire former aide's criticisms and Musk hit back in real time on social media.
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'Look, Elon and I had a great relationship. I don't know if we will any more,' Trump told reporters in the Oval Office after Musk slammed his tax and spending mega-bill as an 'abomination'.
The world's richest man responded by live-posting on social media as Trump spoke on television, saying that the Republican would not have won the 2024 election without him and slamming him for 'ingratitude'.
In an extraordinary rant as visiting German Chancellor Friedrich Merz sat mutely beside him, 78-year-old Trump unloaded on SpaceX and Tesla boss Musk in his first comments on the issue.
'I'm very disappointed, because Elon knew the inner workings of this bill better than almost anybody sitting here … All of a sudden, he had a problem,' Trump said when asked about Musk.
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The clash comes less than a week since Trump held a grand Oval Office farewell for Musk as he wrapped up his time leading the cost-cutting Department of Government Efficiency (Doge).
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