In the most recent item, Elon Musk hinted he would retire SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft of his new feud with former President Donald Trump. The clash escalated even further when Musk bashed Trump’s “big beautiful bill.” He maintained that it would increase U.S. government borrowing by a staggering $2.4 trillion. Musk went further in a scathing tweet taking the legislation to task—calling it a “disgusting abomination”—even stating his displeasure with Trump’s budgetary suggestions.
The ordeal played out only a day before Tesla was expected to launch a limited “robotaxi” service in nearby Austin, Texas. Musk’s public remarks came as a surprise to many, given his previous alignment with Trump, whom he had supported during the former president’s campaign.
In an attempt to counter Musk’s criticism, Trump fired back, calling the entrepreneur a “gone crazy.” He doubled down on the possible financial impact of their tiff, specifically calling out Musk’s companies — including SpaceX and Tesla. Trump previously threatened to eliminate governmental subsidies and contracts for Musk’s ventures as a means of saving billions for the federal budget.
Musk’s relationship to Trump has been a bloodbath rescue. The two have often played into each other’s hands, frequently making themselves ideological allies. Indeed, Musk went on to serve in Trump’s administration himself, chairing Trump’s “Department of Government Efficiency” — playfully nicknamed “Doge,” after the internet meme. In the past, Musk has been one of Trump’s top donors himself, donating large sums to the former president’s campaign ventures.
Although they have a friendly history, in the last week’s back-and-forths we’ve been seeing the break down of their relationship. Indeed, Musk’s henchman backtracks on the incitement Musk boldly tweets to announce his support for Trump. He urges the impeachment of Trump and ridicules his ties to the notorious ephebophile Jeffrey Epstein.
Musk took to social media platform X to express regret over some of his posts. He stated, “I regret some of my posts about President @realDonaldTrump last week. They went too far,” indicating a possible desire to mend fences or at least soften the impact of his earlier remarks.
As tensions remain high, it is uncertain how this feud will affect Musk’s businesses and their market values, which have previously surged due to his alignment with Trump. Both figures have made significant contributions to their disciplines. Their continuing fight poses an existential threat to political and business-as-usual in the United States.