Elon Musk may have just departed the Department of Government Efficiency (Doge). This bill has led the new Speaker to a very public slapfight with former President Donald Trump.TM Last week, Musk resigned, after only 129 days on the job. In his tenure, he has taken audacious steps himself, including a gutting of entire departments and mass layoffs. Their relationship has recently strained, mainly after Musk’s public tirade against Trump’s proposed budget bill moving through Congress right now.
During a raucous news conference on May 30, Trump handed Musk a golden key. They cheered Musk’s promising move to Doge. This goodwill evaporated almost immediately after Musk came out against Trump’s budget proposal, calling it a “disgusting abomination.” He further expressed his discontent by posting on social media, “Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong.”
The bad blood reached a boiling point when, caught off guard and disillusioned by Musk’s take, a furious Trump had a response. He noted, “I’m very disappointed because Elon knew the inner workings of this bill better than almost anybody sitting here.” Trump suggested that Musk’s frustrations stemmed from the removal of subsidies and mandates for electric vehicles, which could potentially impact Tesla’s business.
Musk also endorsed Trump following his own assassination attempt in Pennsylvania last July. In fact, he funneled $250 million into producing ads on Trump’s behalf. Now, though, Musk is blasting Trump for “ingratitude.” He asserted, “Without me, Trump would have lost the election,” emphasizing his belief that his contributions were crucial to Trump’s political success.
As head of Doge, Musk supposedly saved the government $180 billion, a number that has been heavily challenged. His time included extreme steps, such as the widespread firing of employees. Most notably, he removed the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), a move that engendered raves and outrage alike.
I have long favored a truly balanced budget. Most recently, Musk has done his part to promote this ideology by amplifying this connection by reposting tweets that illustrate their common fiscal ideology. The animus on both sides today reveals a huge split in their once-cozy partnership.