WASHINGTON — What began as a powerhouse alliance between Donald Trump and Elon Musk has spectacularly unraveled in a public and bitter clash that rocked politics and markets alike.
The fallout erupted Thursday when Trump, visibly frustrated during a press meeting with Germany’s new chancellor, lashed out at Musk over recent criticism of the administration’s federal spending bill. In a sharp pivot from praise to punishment, the U.S. president threatened to kill lucrative government contracts tied to Musk’s companies, including Starlink and SpaceX.
Musk, who once stood alongside Trump at rallies and in the Oval Office, fired back on his platform X. In a striking accusation, Musk suggested that Trump is linked to sealed documents related to Jeffrey Epstein — implying that the reason these records haven’t been made public is that they include Trump’s name. Musk offered no proof for the claim.
The feud, which played out entirely on social media, marked a steep fall from their once-symbolic alliance. Just days earlier, Trump had awarded Musk a ceremonial golden key as a token of thanks for his time in the U.S. government, and the two shared a public farewell inside the White House.
But tensions had been brewing as Musk condemned Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill,” calling it a “disgusting abomination” and warning that it would balloon the federal deficit. Trump, in response, told reporters he was “very disappointed in Elon” and used Truth Social to propose cutting Musk’s access to billions in federal subsidies.
Musk, unfazed, invited the challenge with a sarcastic “Go ahead, make my day,” before dropping his Epstein insinuation. The fallout quickly affected Musk’s finances, with Tesla shares dropping more than 10% in response to the drama.
Their political relationship, though intense, was short-lived. Musk reportedly donated $250 million to support Trump’s re-election campaign, advised him closely, and even joined him on Air Force One and at Cabinet meetings. The tech mogul’s departure from his brief government stint was marked by a symbolic ceremony — and a black eye Musk claimed came from his son, though it also hinted at the bruising nature of his role.
The public breakup hit an even deeper nerve when Musk declared, “Without me, Trump would have lost the election,” accusing the president of “ingratitude.” Trump countered by calling Musk unstable, saying, “He just went CRAZY!” and dismissing Musk’s influence, claiming he only opposed the bill because it reduced tax credits for electric vehicles — a claim Musk labeled “false.”
Musk accused the administration of ramming the bill through Congress under the radar, saying lawmakers didn’t have time to read it. He urged Trump to keep the spending cuts but remove what he called “a MOUNTAIN of DISGUSTING PORK.”
Adding fuel to the fire, Trump said he had recently rescinded Musk’s promotion of Jared Isaacman to lead NASA, stating the pick “was totally a Democrat,” and implying Musk’s personnel choices were another point of contention.
Musk responded by reposting Trump’s decade-old criticisms of Republican spending and questioning if the same man who wrote those words still existed, or had been “replaced by a body double.”
The unraveling of their alliance — filled with public displays of loyalty, extravagant praise, and massive campaign spending — has not only deepened political divides but also raised questions about the future of billionaire influence in Washington.