Trump and Musk's bromance breakup has the internet in stitches
Donald Trump and Elon Musk 's relationship has officially imploded, captivating the internet as if it were a high-profile celebrity breakup.
'Normally a breakup this messy is on Bravo not C-Span,' wrote Ben Jacobs, a reporter at Politico, on X.
The president and Tesla founder developed a quick bond after the then-candidate was nearly assassinated on stage at a Pennsylvania rally last July. Musk spent approximately $250 million backing Trump's campaign and remained a close supporter throughout the 2024 election.
When Trump took office earlier this year, Musk was appointed head of the new administration's Department of Government Efficiency, a role that he held until last week.
But it wasn't until Musk's criticism of Trump's controversial so-called 'Big Beautiful Bill' that set off an internet war that culminated on Thursday, June 5, with both men hurling strongly-worded accusations and criticisms at each other on social media.
Early in the day, Musk called on Trump to 'ditch the MOUNTAIN of DISGUSTING PORK in the bill.'
Musk then claimed that without him, Trump would not have secured the presidency, setting off threats from Trump to cut off government contracts with Musk's companies, including Starlink and Space X.
'Time to drop the really big bomb,' Musk replied. '@realDonaldTrump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public. Have a nice day, DJT!'
Senator Scott Wiener was one among those who reacted to the allegation online, specifically calling out Trump supporters who have labeled him and other members of the LGBTQ community pedophiles.
'Let's see if the MAGAs who've been slandering me & other queer people as pedophiles for years say a damn thing about Trump's close association with an actual pedophilia network,' Wiener wrote on BlueSky.
Social media users were quick to turn the dramatic feud into comedic gold, with some cracking jokes about the irony of this drama unfolding at the beginning of Pride Month, likening their broken bond to the end of a romance. Both public figures have made homophobic statements and actions in the past.
Another irony: Trump threatening to rip away Musk's federal funding when they have been doing that to the arts and science communities for months.
'must be incredibly frustrating and disheartening to have federal funding that was promised to you for important work suddenly and arbitrarily ripped away,' Adam Sternberg, Culture editor for the New York Times, posted to Bluesky.
Amid the public spectacle, many couldn't help but mock the emotional nature of the feud, describing the bickering immature given their ages — Musk is 53, while Trump is 78.
The phrase 'THE GIRLS ARE FIGHTING' quickly became a top trending topic on X.
'hey @realDonaldTrump lmk if u need any breakup advice,' Ashley St. Clair, the mother of one of Musk's children, wrote in a post.
In addition to firing off no less than 80 tweets and endorsing other users' posts criticizing the president, including one that called for Trump's impeachment, Musk also unfollowed several of the president's supporters, including Charlie Kirk and Stephen Miller.
'Today is a huge win for every woman concerned she acted like a psycho during her last breakup,' wrote comedian Ginny Hogan, the star of 'Regression.'
Poking fun at the misogyny that Trump and Musk have been known to display, MSNBC reporter Sam Stein wrote 'Are men maybe too emotional for positions of leadership?'
Some internet users even likened the drama to that between rappers Drake and Kendrick Lamar, who have infamously been feuding for about a year.
Mike Nelson, a political commentator with more than 25,000 followers, simply shared a photo of the moment Lamar name dropped Drake during his Super Bowl LIX performance of 'Not Like Us,' captioning the post 'Elon dropping that tweet.'
Even Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West, weighed in on the feud. He has been a vocal supporter of both Trump and Musk in the past.
'Broooos please noooooo,' he wrote on X. 'We love you both so much.'
Trump and Musk continued their online brawl for several hours Thursday, each on their respective social media platforms — Trump on his Truth Social and Musk on X, which he owns.
The president was supposed to spend the day discussing an end to the Russia-Ukraine war with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
As the online spat hit fever pitch on Thursday, Musk paused his attacks on Trump briefly for a moment to take stock of the carnage.
'One thing's for sure,' Musk wrote on X, 'it ain't boring!'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNN
9 minutes ago
- CNN
ICE protests nationwide come as agency scrambles to meet Trump's immigration arrest quotas
Protests unfolding nationwide against President Donald Trump's immigration agenda come as Immigration and Customs Enforcement races to meet White House arrest quotas. Since Trump took office, ICE, which had previously been operating with a set of guidelines focused on public safety and national security threats, has had to pivot as the key agency at the core of the president's campaign promise to carry out mass deportations. While the administration has touted its immigration crackdown publicly, privately officials have come under fire for failing to meet White House arrest quotas, according to multiple sources familiar with the discussions, For some agents, the greater latitude was a welcome move, allowing them to have more discretion on who they arrest. Still, agents have continued to come under pressure from senior Trump officials to arrest more people, including those with no criminal records. White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, architect of the administration's most hardline immigration policies, communicated that urgency in a meeting last month with senior ICE officials, telling agents to search anywhere and everywhere for undocumented immigrants, according to multiple sources. ICE agents have shown up at routine immigration checks, immigration courts, and worksites, among other locations. The speed at which agents are trying to arrest migrants in the United States has raised alarm among immigrant advocates and former ICE officials. White House border czar Tom Homan maintained this week that despite protests, ICE operations to enforce Trump's immigration policies would continue. 'They'll continue every day, not only in California, Los Angeles, they're gonna continue every city across the country – we have teams throughout the country that are out there looking for those in the country,' Homan told CNN's Kaitlan Collins Monday on 'The Source.' 'We're in every city and country, and ICE is going to be out every single day and will continue to be there regardless what's happening in LA.' The arrests have also strained ICE detention, serving as yet another reminder of the logistical challenges the administration still faces as it tries to ramp up deportations. As of Monday, there were about 55,000 people in ICE custody. The agency, which relies in part on cooperation with local jails, is only funded for 41,500 beds.
New York Times
15 minutes ago
- New York Times
Newsom Tells Nation That Trump Is Destroying American Democracy
Gov. Gavin Newsom made the case in a televised address Tuesday evening that President Trump's decisions to send military forces to immigration protests in Los Angeles have put the nation at the precipice of authoritarianism. The California governor urged Americans to stand up to Mr. Trump, calling it a 'perilous moment' for democracy and the country's long-held legal norms. 'California may be first, but it clearly won't end here,' Mr. Newsom said, speaking to cameras from a studio in Los Angeles. 'Other states are next. Democracy is next.' 'Democracy is under assault right before our eyes — the moment we've feared has arrived,' he added. Mr. Newsom spoke on the fifth day of protests in Los Angeles against federal immigration raids that have sent fear and anger through many communities in Southern California. He said Mr. Trump had 'inflamed a combustible situation' by taking over California's National Guard, and by calling up 4,000 troops and 700 Marines. The governor is considered a possible Democratic presidential candidate in 2028, and his Tuesday night speech, called 'Democracy at a Crossroads,' sounded national in scope. It aired on some national networks and on Mr. Newsom's social media accounts. The current political standoff has made it possible for Mr. Newsom to have a wider platform, and he has jousted with President Trump and Republicans for several days in interviews and on social media. 'Authoritarian regimes begin by targeting people who are least able to defend themselves.,' Mr. Newsom said in his speech. 'But they do not stop there. Trump and his loyalists thrive on division because it allows them to take more power and exert even more control.' The address was an unusual move for Mr. Newsom, who has dyslexia and dislikes reading from a teleprompter to deliver formal speeches. But he has been using every communication channel possible to raise alarms about the extraordinary measures Mr. Trump has taken to mobilize the military for domestic uses. Not since the civil rights movement in the 1960s has a president sent National Guard troops to quell unrest without the support of the state's governor. 'I ask everyone to take the time to reflect on this perilous moment,' he said, 'a president who wants to be bound by no law or constitution, perpetrating a unified assault on American traditions.'
Washington Post
17 minutes ago
- Washington Post
Associated Press seeks full appeals court hearing on access to Trump administration events
The Associated Press on Tuesday asked for a hearing before the full U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington, seeking to overturn a three-judge panel's ruling that allowed the Trump administration to continue blocking the AP's access to some presidential events — a four-month case that has raised questions about what level of journalistic access to the presidency the First Amendment permits.
