As Donald Trump met with White House officials on Wednesday, there was no sign of his imminent break with Elon Musk, the billionaire who helped power his re-election.
Two White House officials familiar with the matter said Trump appeared confused and annoyed during the meeting over Musk’s criticism of his sweeping tax and spending bill. But he held back because he was keen to maintain Musk’s support, both politically and financially, ahead of the midterm elections.
By Thursday afternoon, Trump’s mood had changed. He had not spoken to Musk since the criticism began and was furious about what one aide called “absolute nonsense” the Tesla CEO had said on X, his social media platform.
Musk has described Trump’s tax bill as fiscally reckless and a “disgusting abomination.” He has vowed to oppose any Republican lawmaker who supports it. The bill meets many of Trump’s priorities but would add $2.4 trillion to the U.S. national debt, which currently stands at $36.2 trillion, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
Trump has privately described Musk as unstable. On Thursday, he told his team it was time to take the gloves off.
Standing next to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in the Oval Office, Trump told reporters he was “very disappointed” in his former adviser. Musk quickly responded on social media, and their spat escalated into something more.
“The easiest way to save billions of dollars in our budget is to end government subsidies and contracts with Elon,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social social network.
Minutes later, Musk hinted that it might be time to form a new political party, endorsing a post on X from Ian Miles Chong, a prominent Musk supporter and right-wing activist calling for Trump's impeachment.
Unprecedented relationship
Trump and Musk's relationship at its peak was unique in Washington, with the sitting president giving the billionaire tech CEO access and influence in the White House and his government.
Last year, Musk spent about $300 million to support the campaigns of Trump and other Republican candidates.
For months, Musk has acted as both an insider and a disruptor — shaping political conversations behind the scenes, communicating Trump’s agenda to millions online, and criticizing bureaucracy and federal spending through his self-styled Department of Government Efficiency.
Just last week, Trump held a farewell meeting with Musk and declared that “Elon is not really leaving.”
Now he’s not only gone, he’s become a leading critic. Hours after Trump’s Oval Office address, a third White House official expressed surprise at Musk’s abrupt about-face. It “caught the president and the entire West Wing by surprise,” she said.
Musk did not respond to emails seeking comment on the deteriorating relationship. His super spending PAC, America PAC, and spokeswoman Katie Miller did not respond to calls and text messages asking for similar comments.
In a statement, the White House described the breakup as “an unfortunate episode on Elon's part, who is unhappy with the One Big Beautiful Bill because it does not include the policies he wanted.”
From Allies to Enemies
The rift between Musk and Trump sent Tesla shares plunging 14 percent on Thursday and fueled uncertainty among Trump's allies in Congress, who are working to pass a massive spending package that Democrats and a small coterie of hardline Republicans oppose.
The rift could change the future of both men. For Trump, losing Musk’s support threatens his growing influence among tech donors, social media audiences, and young male voters — key groups that may now be harder to reach. It could also make fundraising more difficult ahead of next year’s midterm elections.
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Sourse: breakingnews.ie
