In a surprising turn of events, former U.S. President Donald Trump has announced that his relationship with tech entrepreneur Elon Musk is over. During an interview with NBC News, when asked about the status of their association, Trump responded affirmatively, saying, “I would assume so, yeah.” He made it clear later that he does not wish to reconcile, marking a deep divide that has emerged between the two after a series of public spats on social media.
This rift comes after Musk, who has been a prominent supporter of Trump in the past, publicly criticized one of Trump's key domestic initiatives — the so-called Big Beautiful Bill. Musk, known for his outspoken nature, claimed that the tax and spending bill could add trillions to the national deficit and undermine previous efforts within his role at the newly established Department of Government Efficiency (Doge). Following his departure from the department after a short tenure, Musk took to his platform X (formerly Twitter) to label the proposed legislation a “disgusting abomination,” although he refrained from criticizing Trump directly at the time.
The fallout escalated quickly when Trump expressed disappointment with Musk’s behavior, prompting the Tesla and SpaceX CEO to launch a series of posts. Musk insinuated that Trump’s electoral victory was contingent on his own support and made unfounded claims regarding Trump’s ties to the late financier Jeffrey Epstein, which have since been retracted.
Trump did not take Musk’s comments lightly, responding on Truth Social by suggesting that Musk had gone “crazy” and threatening to sever Musk’s federal contracts. In his NBC News interview, Trump condemned Musk's actions as disrespectful to the presidency, portraying a sharp disapproval of the billionaire’s recent criticisms.
As tensions continue to grow, it appears that Musk may shift his political allegiances, hinting that he could support challengers from the Democratic party during upcoming elections. Trump responded ominously, warning that Musk could face “serious consequences” for his potential endorsements against Republican legislators.
As both figures navigate this escalating feud, the impact of this fallout on their respective influences among their supporters remains to be seen.
