Tensions between former President Donald Trump and tech billionaire Elon Musk have exploded into a very public showdown, unfolding right near the White House.
It’s a saga that’s not just about politics or business — it’s personal now, with sharp words flying and allegiances being made clear.
Trump’s Press Secretary Stands Firm in Support
Karoline Leavitt, Trump’s press secretary, made it crystal clear she’s firmly on Team Trump as the former president takes aim at Musk.
Just last week, Leavitt and longtime Trump aide Margo Martin posed inside a Tesla parked outside the White House—a symbol of the complicated relationship between Trump and Musk’s electric car empire.
But that picture of unity quickly faded when Leavitt shared one of Trump’s messages from his social media platform, Truth Social, where Trump criticized Musk in blunt terms.
The clash reached a boiling point after Trump confronted Musk during an Oval Office meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
Trump Calls Out Musk in Truth Social Post
In his post, Trump wrote that he didn’t mind Musk turning against him but wished it had happened months ago.
He also pushed the significance of a massive new bill before Congress, describing it as one of the greatest ever—highlighting a record $1.6 trillion cut in expenses and a massive tax cut.
Trump made it clear he sees himself as the fixer cleaning up a mess he didn’t create, insisting the bill will set the country on a path to greatness and help Make America Great Again once again.
Musk Fires Back with Serious Accusations
The feud escalated when Musk went on the offensive, accusing Trump of being involved in the infamous Epstein files—a reference to Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced financier who died in prison in 2019.
This allegation pushed the spat into uncharted territory.
Leavitt didn’t hold back either, telling Daily Mail Australia that Musk’s comments were just sour grapes over the bill, which Musk wasn’t happy with because it didn’t include the policies he wanted.
Trump Focuses on Legislation, Avoids Epstein Allegations
While Musk went on the attack, Trump didn’t engage directly with the Epstein claims.
Instead, he doubled down on promoting the bill and declined to answer questions from reporters about Musk’s accusations when he was hosting the National Fraternal Order of Police.
A source close to the president reminded Daily Mail that Trump had actually kicked Epstein out of his Palm Beach Golf Club years ago.
They also pointed out that the administration had already released Epstein files mentioning Trump, so there was nothing new in Musk’s claims.
The source added a sharp comment about Musk’s past friendship with Trump, questioning why Musk had spent six months with him and professed to “love him as much as a straight man can love a straight man” if he truly believed the accusations.
The Dispute Started Over a Big Spending Bill
The rift originally began over a major spending bill currently making its way through the Senate.
Musk criticized the bill for increasing the deficit and undoing progress he’d made while leading the Trump-created Department of Government Efficiency, known as DOGE.
Trump, meanwhile, suggested Musk’s real anger came from the administration’s recent rollback of electric vehicle mandates, which hurt Tesla, and the replacement of Musk’s favored NASA nominee, potentially jeopardizing SpaceX contracts.
Musk Claims He Saved Trump’s 2024 Election Chances
The tension went even further when Musk claimed he was the reason Trump won the 2024 election, suggesting without him, Democrats would have taken control of Congress.
Musk called out Trump for being ungrateful in the bitter exchange.
Trump Responds by Cutting Ties and Threatening Contracts
Trump responded on Truth Social saying he asked Musk to leave his administration after Musk started acting “crazy.”
He took away Musk’s electric vehicle mandate and threatened to pull government subsidies and contracts from SpaceX and Tesla to save billions.
The Feud Reaches New Heights with Rocket Ship Threats and Impeachment Talk
Musk fired back with a dramatic threat to shut down the only rockets currently ferrying U.S. astronauts and supplies to the International Space Station.
He also declared support for Trump’s impeachment and backed Vice President J.D. Vance as a replacement.
Trump Ally Calls for Investigation into Musk
Steve Bannon, a longtime Trump adviser and MAGA figurehead, called for Musk to be investigated and even suggested deportation over the heated controversy.
From Friendship to Fallout in Just Months
This all comes just months after Trump publicly praised Musk in the Oval Office, even gifting him a golden key as Musk left his role at DOGE to return to the private sector.
Now, Musk’s Tesla remains parked just steps away from the West Wing, a symbol of a relationship gone cold amid a fiery public spat that shows no signs of cooling down anytime soon.