Washington, DC [US], June 6 (ANI): The public breakdown between US President Donald Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk escalated sharply on Thursday, turning a powerful political alliance into a bitter war of words. This feud has wiped billions from Tesla’s market value and threatens to derail Trump’s flagship budget legislation.
The conflict peaked when Musk made explosive allegations linking Trump to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, marking a dramatic escalation in their personal conflict. The feud intensified less than a week after Musk officially left his role leading the quasi-official Department of Government Efficiency.
The latest round erupted during an Oval Office meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, when Trump was asked about Musk’s criticism of his budget legislation. “Elon and I had a great relationship. I don’t know if we will any more,” Trump told reporters, expressing disappointment. He added, “He knew every aspect of this bill. He knew it better than almost anybody, and he never had a problem until right after he left.”
Musk swiftly denied Trump’s account on X, saying, “False, this bill was never shown to me even once and was passed in the dead of night so fast that almost no one in Congress could even read it!” He also claimed that without him, Trump would have “lost the election” and lamented “such ingratitude.”
The feud took a darker turn when Musk posted on X that Trump’s name is “in the Epstein files” — the reason, Musk alleged, those files have not been made public. He referenced a quote from Trump about Epstein from over 20 years ago, then taunted, “Have a nice day, DJT!” and suggested “the truth will come out.”
The exchange quickly escalated into threats. Trump threatened to end Musk’s government subsidies and contracts, while Musk countered by threatening to decommission the Dragon spacecraft, recently used to rescue astronauts stranded on the International Space Station. This move could disrupt critical US space programs, underscoring Musk’s businesses’ deep ties to government operations.
Musk also called for Trump’s impeachment and suggested Senator JD Vance should replace him as president. Right-wing influencer Ian Miles Cheong posted support for Musk, and Musk endorsed the post.
Musk warned that Trump’s tariffs would “cause a recession in the second half of this year” and launched an online poll about forming a new political party, moves likely to further enrage Trump.
Tesla shares plunged over 14% on Thursday, erasing about USD 152 billion from the company’s value and knocking USD 8.73 billion off Musk’s personal net worth, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. The rapid financial fallout highlights how political conflicts can swiftly impact markets.
Trump also responded on his platform Truth Social, accusing Musk of ingratitude despite “helping Elon a lot” and calling his budget bill “one of the Greatest Bills ever presented to Congress.” Trump added that he had taken away Musk’s Electric Vehicle mandate and that Musk “just went CRAZY.”
Musk called Trump’s statements “Such an obvious lie. So sad.” The conflict, centered around legislative disagreements, threatens to undermine Trump’s key budget bill, projected to add USD 2.4 trillion to the deficit over 10 years.
This bitter public dispute between the two influential figures continues to unfold, with wide-reaching implications for politics, business, and US space initiatives. (ANI)
About The Author
