06-06-2025

Trump and Musk's Public Feud Escalates

Date: 06-06-2025
Sources: cbsnews.com: 1 | cnbc.com: 2 | edition.cnn.com: 3 | nytimes.com: 3 | bbc.com: 1 | news.sky.com: 1 | foxnews.com: 2
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Image Source:

Source: nytimes.com

Image content: The main subject of this image is a series of tweets from Elon Musk, in which he shares and agrees with a post by Donald Trump about budgeting re-election for members of Congress. The content includes screenshots of Musk sharing the same Trump tweet twice and expressing his agreement with Trump's statement. The tweets are related to Trump's views on balancing the country's budget and deficits.

Summary

A public feud between US President Donald Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk has intensified, with both figures trading insults and accusations over policy and personal matters, causing concerns among Republicans and impacting Tesla's stock price.

Key Points

  • Trump and Musk exchanged public insults and threats over Trump's legislative proposal and Musk's criticism of it
  • The feud escalated with personal attacks, including Musk's allegation that Trump's name appears in Jeffrey Epstein's files
  • The conflict has caused concerns among Republicans, who worry about the potential fallout and losing House seats in the midterm elections

Articles in this Cluster

Trump and Elon Musk trade insults and accusations as public feud reaches new heights - CBS News

The relationship between President Trump and Elon Musk has deteriorated into a public feud, with both figures trading insults and accusations. The break began when Musk criticized Republicans' tax and budget bill, calling it "outrageous" and "a disgusting abomination." Trump responded by threatening to cancel Musk's lucrative government contracts, citing cost-cutting measures. Musk retaliated by alleging that Trump's name appears in the files related to the Jeffrey Epstein case, suggesting that this is why the files have not been made public. Trump expressed disappointment in Musk, claiming he had helped him and that Musk was "wearing thin" during his time in the administration. Musk countered that without his support, Trump would have lost the election, and accused Trump of ingratitude. The feud escalated with both sides making personal attacks, with Trump's threats causing Tesla's shares to plummet 18%.

Nervous Republicans flee Trump-Elon Musk blast radius

Republican lawmakers are caught in the middle of a growing feud between President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk, who are exchanging public insults and threats over Trump's "big, beautiful bill," a legislative proposal that Musk is opposing. Musk has threatened to spend money to oust Republican lawmakers who vote for the bill, prompting concerns among GOP lawmakers that they will be caught in the crossfire. Trump allies, meanwhile, are calling for action against Musk, including pulling contracts associated with his companies and launching investigations into his immigration status and other matters. The feud is causing concern among Republicans, who are worried about the potential fallout, including losing House seats in the midterm elections. Some Democrats are welcoming the infighting, seeing it as a way to damage Trump's agenda and make him appear weak.

Trump-Musk feud draws reactions from billionaires, politicians and pundits

A public feud between US President Donald Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk has drawn reactions from billionaires, politicians, and pundits. Trump threatened to pull back billions of dollars in government contracts for Musk's companies, while Musk suggested Trump wouldn't have won the election without him. The spat has led to a significant drop in Tesla's stock price, with shares plummeting over 14% and wiping out $152 billion in market value. Some, like billionaire Bill Ackman, have urged the two to make peace, while others, such as former Trump adviser Steve Bannon, have called for the government to seize control of SpaceX and strip Musk of his security clearance. The feud has also sparked discussions about the potential for a new political party and raised concerns about the impact on Tesla's regulatory environment and SpaceX's lead in space technology.

Epstein files: Allies tried to broker Trump-Musk peace but a personal allegation complicated things | CNN PoliticsClose icon

Allies of Donald Trump and Elon Musk attempted to broker peace between the two men amid a growing feud, but their efforts were disrupted when Musk posted on X that Trump was in the Epstein files, a personal allegation that escalated the conflict. The feud had been simmering over policy, but Musk's accusation turned it personal, with White House officials likening it to a "divorce." Trump and Musk continued to exchange barbs on social media, with Trump threatening to terminate Musk's business contracts and Musk calling for Trump's impeachment. However, Musk later walked back a threat to decommission a SpaceX spacecraft after being advised to "cool off" by X users and billionaire investor Bill Ackman.

The Musk-Trump fight blows up a critical alliance in American politics | CNN PoliticsClose icon

The public feud between Elon Musk and Donald Trump has exposed the collapse of a previously strong alliance in American politics. Musk played a crucial role in Trump's 2024 campaign, donating over $290 million and leading the ground operation in key battleground states. Musk's America PAC spent $97 million on canvassing and field operations, and his efforts on the social media platform X helped amplify pro-Trump messages. While it's unclear if Musk was as decisive in Trump's victory as he claims, many credit his efforts as a significant factor. The alliance between Musk and Trump began to fray after Musk left Trump's Department of Government Efficiency and criticized Trump's legislative package, ultimately leading to the public fight between the two billionaires.

Timeline of Elon Musk and Donald Trump’s feud | CNN BusinessClose icon

A public feud erupted between Donald Trump and Elon Musk over Trump's tax and domestic policy bill, with Musk calling it a "disgusting abomination" and Trump responding by considering terminating government contracts with Musk's companies, marking a breakdown in their previously close relationship.

8 Ways Elon Musk and Trump Could Inflict Pain on Each Other - The New York Times

The feud between President Trump and Elon Musk could have far-reaching consequences. Here are eight ways they could inflict pain on each other. Musk could wield his billions against Trump and his allies, use social media to irritate Trump, drag Trump into controversy, and use his companies to inconvenience the administration. Trump could cut contracts with Musk's companies, investigate Musk's immigration status and drug use, revoke Musk's security clearance, and wield the power of the presidency against him, including signing executive orders and directing agencies like the Justice Department to initiate investigations.

Timeline of Elon Musk and Trump's Fight, With Key Posts and Statements - The New York Times

A feud between Elon Musk and Donald Trump began after Trump criticized Musk's reaction to a domestic policy bill that would roll back electric vehicle subsidies. Musk responded on X, saying the bill was "big and ugly" and contained "disgusting pork." Trump claimed Musk knew the bill's contents and was "upset" about the subsidies, which Musk denied. The exchange escalated into a series of insults and accusations on social media, with Musk suggesting Trump would have lost the 2024 election without his support and Trump claiming he would have won without Musk's help. Musk also hinted that Trump's name was in unreleased Epstein documents and suggested forming a new political party. Trump fired back, defending his bill and threatening to end Musk's government subsidies. Musk retaliated by announcing plans to decommission SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft, which NASA relies on, before indicating he would hold off. The feud continued into the night, with Musk eventually striking a conciliatory tone, suggesting the two should make peace.

Trump and Musk’s Relationship Melts Down in Spectacular Fashion - The New York Times

The relationship between Donald Trump and Elon Musk has dramatically soured in a public feud on social media. Musk had been a close ally, flying on Trump's planes and staying at his homes, but began attacking Trump on X after disagreeing with the White House's domestic policy bill. Trump retaliated, suggesting he could cut off government subsidies and contracts to Musk's companies, prompting Musk to escalate his attacks, including implying Trump was connected to Jeffrey Epstein's crimes. The feud has become increasingly personal and petty, with both sides trading barbs and neither directly responding to the other due to their control of their own social media platforms.

Donald Trump confirms China trip after 'very good' call with Xi JinpingBritish Broadcasting CorporationBritish Broadcasting Corporation

US President Donald Trump has confirmed he will visit China after a "very good" phone call with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, during which they discussed trade and invited each other to the White House and China. The call, the first since Trump launched a trade war with Beijing in February, was described by Trump as resulting in a "very positive conclusion" for both countries. Xi reportedly told Trump that the US should withdraw its "negative measures" against China and abide by a recent trade deal. The two leaders also discussed Taiwan, with Xi warning the US to handle the issue "with caution" to avoid conflict.

Trump and China's Xi have 'very good' phone call and agree to more talks amid trade war | World News | Sky News

US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping had a "very good" phone call, agreeing to further tariff talks amid their ongoing trade war. The call, initiated by Trump, lasted around an hour and a half and resulted in a "very positive conclusion" for both countries. They also invited each other to visit their respective countries. Xi emphasized the need to correct the course of US-China relations and warned the US to handle the Taiwan issue carefully to avoid conflict. The trade war has caused significant market swings and threatens to damage trade between the two nations.

Germany’s Merz to tackle trade, defense talks in meeting with Trump | Fox News

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is set to meet with President Donald Trump to discuss major issues including tariffs, trade, and defense. Germany and the US have had public disagreements, but recent positive interactions between Merz and Trump suggest a cordial meeting. Merz aims to persuade Trump to lift the 25% tariff on imported vehicles and parts, as well as the 10% tariff on all goods. Merz may also discuss NATO defense spending, having backed Trump's push for nations to spend up to 5% of GDP on defense, potentially using this to rally Trump's support for Ukraine.

Trump suggests 'let them fight' on Ukraine war during meeting with German chancellor | Fox News

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz met with President Donald Trump and urged the US to pressure Russia to end the war in Ukraine, saying America is in a "strong position" to stop the conflict. Trump responded by suggesting that it might be better to "let them fight for a while" before intervening, using an analogy of two children fighting in a park. Merz expressed disagreement with Trump's approach, reiterating that Europe and the US should work together to support Ukraine and pressure Russia to end the war.