On the morning of June 5, 2025, Donald Trump expressed his disappointment at Elon Musk. He issued this call in response to meeting with Germany’s Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, visit to the Oval Office. The former president’s remarks came after Musk publicly opposed Trump’s key legislative priority, the “One Big Beautiful Bill” act. This unexpected fallout marks a significant shift in the relationship between two influential figures who had previously shared a close alliance.
Trump should be miffed that Musk slapped down the “One Big Beautiful Bill” act. This extreme act goes beyond just tax cuts and prioritizes draconian immigration enforcement measures, including new work requirements for recipients of nearly all federal safety net programs. Trump stated, “I’m very disappointed in Elon. I’ve helped Elon a lot,” highlighting their past collaboration and Musk’s financial support during his presidential campaign.
As you know, the House of Representatives just passed the “One Big Beautiful Bill” act by a very slim margin. Its popular implementation aside, it now stands at a considerable precipice. The bill has revived old debates over the merits of state and local tax (SALT) payments. Thanks to Trump’s tax reform of 2017, these payments can no longer exceed $10,000 per household. Even if the bill passes the market’s narrow-eyed scrutiny, Musk’s adamant opposition—he says it was never brought to him to consider—makes its path extremely complicated.
In an attempt to quell the political storm, Musk was forced to respond after Trump’s statement saying that he didn’t know the details of the legislation. “This bill was never shown to me even once,” he said, refuting allegations that he had prior knowledge or understanding of its contents. This difference in their stories has caused deep and increasing schism between the two.
In the last few days, Musk has gone from crowing up Trump to hurling personal insults at him. He stated, “Without me, Trump would have lost the election, Dems would control the House and the [Republicans] would be 51-49 in the Senate.” This assertion was in line with Musk’s view that he was instrumental to Trump’s electoral victory, putting more of a wedge into their already shaky relationship.
Whatever else might be happening in D.C., Trump’s confidence in his legislative agenda should be undercut. He asserted that Musk was well-informed about the bill’s details before stepping down as head of Trump’s “Department of Government Efficiency” (Doge). “He knew every aspect of this bill. He knew it better than almost anyone. He was never faced with a crisis until right after he left, Trump continued.
In this environment, personal relationships almost always run up against legislative agendas. Trump’s legislative efforts aim to deliver on his “America First” agenda, as outlined by House Speaker Mike Johnson: “This is not a spending bill, my friends; this is a budget reconciliation bill.” The focus on this important distinction will be key to receiving support from each of the different camps of interest within Congress.
They enjoy a collaborative history unto themselves, with Musk providing the initial financial support and helping craft the U.S. Recent discord highlights how tenuous political coalitions are. The long-term implications of this rift could go well beyond their personal relationship, possibly spelling doom for the future of Trump’s legislative ambitions.