The alliance between President Donald J. Trump and tech billionaire Elon Musk, once a symbol of political and technological synergy, has collapsed into a dramatic public feud, gripping the nation’s attention. From a dispute over Trump’s signature domestic policy bill, the clash has spiraled into a barrage of insults and threats, with Trump dismissing Musk as “the man who has lost his mind” and Musk making provocative, unsubstantiated claims about Trump’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein.
Played out on Truth Social and X, this battle of titans has far-reaching implications for the Republican Party, financial markets, and the trajectory of Trump’s second term. While some see room for reconciliation, the feud’s intensity suggests a deeper rift between two of America’s most influential figures.
The feud burst into the open on June 5, 2025, during a White House meeting with Germany’s chancellor, Friedrich Merz, when President Trump faced questions about Musk’s sharp criticism of his sweeping tax and immigration reform bill. The legislation, projected to add $2.4 trillion to the national debt over a decade according to the Congressional Budget Office, was labeled a “disgusting abomination” by Musk, who resigned as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) just days earlier. Trump’s retort—that he was “very disappointed” in Musk, who “knew the inner workings of the bill”—set off a firestorm, amplified by both men’s mastery of social media and their penchant for personal attacks.
The Rise and Fall of a Power Alliance
The Trump-Musk partnership was once a cornerstone of Trump’s 2024 campaign and early second term. On May 30, 2025, the two appeared together at a White House press conference, with Trump lauding Musk as “one of the greatest business leaders and innovators the world has ever produced.” Musk, the top Republican donor in 2024, had been instrumental in Trump’s electoral success, leveraging his platform X to shape public discourse. As head of DOGE, a role he assumed after Trump’s inauguration on January 20, 2025, Musk pushed for aggressive federal spending cuts, aligning with Trump’s promise to streamline government. Their bond was cemented by symbolic gestures, like Trump showcasing a red Tesla Model S on the White House lawn in March 2025, a nod to Musk’s Tesla empire amid criticism of his political involvement.
Cracks appeared when Musk stepped down from DOGE on May 29, 2025, after 130 days, citing the need to focus on Tesla, SpaceX, and xAI. The real rupture came with Musk’s public condemnation of Trump’s “big, beautiful bill,” which he argued undermined fiscal responsibility. By June 3, 2025, Musk’s rhetoric had escalated, calling the bill a “disgusting abomination” on X. Trump, initially restrained, responded on June 5, accusing Musk of hypocrisy, claiming he had supported the bill until it eliminated electric vehicle tax credits—a direct hit to Tesla’s bottom line.
The Latest on the Trump-Musk Feud
The feud exploded on June 5, 2025, transforming a policy disagreement into a personal vendetta. Trump, speaking to reporters, alleged Musk was fully aware of the bill’s details and had “no problem with it” until the tax credit cut. Musk hit back on X, calling Trump’s claims “an obvious lie” and escalating with a baseless accusation that Trump appeared in the “Epstein files,” referencing court documents tied to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. This inflammatory claim fueled calls from far-right influencers for the release of remaining Epstein documents, adding a volatile layer to the conflict.
Trump countered on Truth Social, threatening to cancel Musk’s government subsidies and contracts, which he claimed could save “billions and billions of dollars.” He hinted at selling or giving away the Tesla Model S parked at the White House, a symbolic rejection of Musk’s brand. On June 6, Trump told CNN he was “not even thinking about” Musk and had no plans to reconcile, dismissing him as “the poor guy” with “a problem.” Musk, undeterred, leaned into the spectacle, reposting an X user’s query, “President vs Elon. Who wins?” with playful emojis, framing the feud as a public showdown.
Political and Market Fallout
The feud has reverberated across the political and economic landscape. Tesla’s stock plunged 14.2% on June 5, 2025, wiping out roughly $152 billion in market value, a direct result of Trump’s threats and the public spat. Within the Republican Party, the rift exposed tensions over Trump’s legislative agenda. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, a Democrat, noted Musk’s pivotal role in Trump’s 2024 victory, while Representative Thomas Massie, a fiscal conservative, sided with Musk’s concerns about the bill’s debt implications, calling the feud “the highlight of my day.” The bill’s Senate passage, already contentious, now faces added uncertainty as GOP unity wavers.
MAGA loyalists were divided. Steve Bannon, a former Trump adviser, labeled Musk’s Epstein jab a “crossing of the Rubicon” and urged treating the feud as a “national security issue.” Billionaire Bill Ackman, a mutual ally, called for reconciliation, to which Musk replied, “You’re not wrong,” hinting at potential de-escalation. Vice President JD Vance, caught in the middle, was reportedly urged by Trump to mediate diplomatically, though Musk’s allies, like investor James Fishback, demanded an apology, accusing Musk of “disturbing” behavior.
Media Frenzy and Public Spectacle
The media has pounced on the feud with unrelenting coverage. The New York Post ran a headline, “I hate my X,” with a graphic mourning the “Trump-Elon bromance.” CNN and NBC provided live updates, with CNN’s Dana Bash reporting a June 6 call with Trump, who dismissed reconciliation. Fox News, typically pro-Trump, initially downplayed the conflict but later acknowledged its intensity, with Peter Doocy noting Musk had been “wearing thin” with Trump. On X, users compared the spat to a “diva off” or a “divorce between two gay dads,” while late-night hosts like Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Fallon lampooned it as a “full-scale flame war” between “besties gone bad.”
Ego, Policy, or Both?
The feud is both a clash of personalities and a policy dispute. Trump and Musk, described by The Guardian as “two megalomaniacs devoted to fame, money, and the far right,” share a flair for social media combat—Trump on Truth Social, Musk on X—making their clash a public spectacle. Musk’s fiscal conservatism, honed during his DOGE tenure, conflicts with Trump’s willingness to embrace deficit spending for tax cuts, exposing GOP ideological divides. Yet, as The New York Times observed, the feud doubles as a “popularity contest,” with both men thriving on attention.
Analysts like Gigi Sohn of the Benton Institute dismissed the spat as “childish nonsense,” while White House aides urged focus on Trump’s legislative goals. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt framed Musk’s opposition as frustration over excluded policies, reaffirming Trump’s commitment to the bill. The feud’s impact on the bill’s passage remains unclear, but its high profile has made it a lightning rod for broader political debates.
Looking Ahead
By June 6, 2025, faint signs of détente emerged. Musk’s response to Ackman’s peace overture suggested openness to cooling tensions, but Trump’s team indicated he was focused on his agenda, not reconciliation. The New York Times speculated the two could mend ties quickly, given their history of mutual benefit. However, with Trump threatening Musk’s contracts and Musk wielding X’s influence, the stakes are high. The feud, likened to “Alien v Predator” by The Guardian, has captivated global audiences, from Moscow officials joking about mediation to X users memeing the clash as a blockbuster showdown.
The red Tesla on the White House lawn, still parked as of June 6, stands as a relic of a once-thriving alliance. Whether Trump and Musk reconcile or continue their public brawl, their feud has exposed the fragility of their partnership and its outsized impact on politics and markets. As Musk quipped on X, “it ain’t boring,” ensuring the saga remains a focal point of national discourse.
This article is based on reporting from BBC, CNN, NBC, Fox News, The New York Times, The Guardian, Reuters, The Independent, ABC News, CBS News, The Washington Post, NPR, Euronews, CNBC, Politico, The Hollywood Reporter, Bloomberg, and posts on X.
Focus Keywords: Trump Musk feud, Donald Trump Elon Musk, Trump Musk fallout, big beautiful bill, Tesla stock drop, Republican Party tensions, social media feud, Truth Social, X platform, Epstein files, government contracts, tax cut bill, political feud 2025, MAGA reactions, White House response
