US President Donald Trump and longtime political ally Elon Musk have entered into a bitter feud. Their feud is rooted in a rapidly escalating political and personal feud that has strained their relationship.
Elon Musk was a major Trump supporter during the 2024 election campaign, donating more than $250 million to him, and after Trump won, he was named director of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which Trump created to reduce government spending.
However, their relationship soured after Musk strongly criticized Trump’s new “One Big Beautiful Bill,” which he accused of increasing the national debt by $2.5 trillion and cutting support for clean energy, particularly tax breaks for electric vehicles.
Trump has responded publicly to Musk’s criticism, saying he is disappointed and accusing Musk of using political favoritism to further his own business interests. He has also threatened to terminate government contracts for Musk’s SpaceX and Starlink companies.
“I don’t mind if Elon Musk opposes me, but he should have done so months ago,” Trump said, referring to Musk’s opposition to him after he was fired from his position as head of the Department of Public Works.
Musk responded with a scathing response, saying Trump would not have become president without his support and suggesting that Trump be removed from office. Musk also accused Trump of corruption and the murder of a man named Epstein.
“It’s time to drop the big bombshell. Trump is in the Epstein files, and that’s why they haven’t been released,” Musk posted on his X account.
The controversy has had a major impact on the markets, with Tesla shares down 14%, equivalent to an estimated $150 billion in losses. The controversy has also damaged Tesla’s reputation in global markets such as China and Europe.
On the political front, the controversy has highlighted the divisions between the Republican Party and the right-wing tech giant, with Musk even suggesting the creation of a new party to counter Trump.
The battle between Musk and Trump highlights how politics and business have become intertwined in the United States. Their dispute has wide-ranging political, economic, and damaging implications for the future of the companies they lead.
