Allies to Rivals to Allies Again? Musk and Trump’s Rollercoaster Feud
In a saga fit for Silicon Valley drama and Washington intrigue, Elon Musk and Donald Trump have transformed from political allies to fierce rivals—only to hint at reconciliation once more. Their complicated relationship is emblematic of the shifting dynamics within America’s political and tech elite, blending ego, ideology, and influence in a volatile mix.
It all began with a grand gesture of loyalty. During the early weeks of Donald Trump’s second term, Musk was appointed to lead the Department of Government Efficiency (DoGE), a bold initiative aimed at slashing federal spending. Musk, having reportedly contributed $300 million to Trump’s campaign, was seen as one of the president’s closest civilian allies. His tweet, “I love @realDonaldTrump as much as a straight man can love another man,” on February 7, symbolized the bromance.
But that affection didn’t last. By late May, cracks began to appear. On May 29, Musk stepped down from his role in the administration. Then came the avalanche. On June 2, Trump defended his massive new economic proposal dubbed the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” but Musk wasn’t impressed. By June 3, the Tesla CEO erupted on social media, calling the bill a “disgusting abomination” and accusing those who supported it of betraying the American public.
Musk’s outrage didn’t stop there. He criticized the bill for inflating the federal deficit to an alarming $2.5 trillion and decried the “mountain of pork” it carried. The billionaire’s posts became increasingly personal and political, culminating in an explosive accusation: Trump was allegedly tied to the Jeffrey Epstein files. Although Musk later deleted the tweet, the damage was done.
The next few days saw the feud escalate. Trump publicly expressed disappointment in Musk, while Musk fired back by accusing the former president of passing the bill “in the dead of night.” Musk also implied that Trump was ungrateful for his past support, claiming that without him, Trump would have lost the 2024 election.
At the heart of Musk’s anger was the bill’s deep cuts to clean energy subsidies—essential to Tesla’s business—while sparing traditional fossil fuel interests. He also threatened to halt cooperation with NASA if the bill passed, though he walked back that threat later.
Trump responded with characteristic bluntness on June 6. On Truth Social, he wrote that Musk had “gone crazy” and accused him of benefiting from government contracts that could now be cut. He further stated that Musk’s government subsidies were on the chopping block and that he had been planning to end EV mandates “for months.”
The war of words escalated to include Musk proposing a new centrist political party and unearthing Trump’s old tweets that criticized big government spending. The back-and-forth culminated with Trump calling Musk someone who had “lost his mind” and warning of consequences if he aligned with Democrats in future elections.
Then, as quickly as it had escalated, the feud began to thaw. On June 10, Trump told reporters he wished Musk well. Musk responded with a simple red heart emoji. By June 11, Musk publicly expressed regret, saying, “I regret some of my posts about President Donald Trump last week. They went too far.”
This rare moment of humility from Musk indicates that, despite their differences, a full-blown political war may not be inevitable. Whether this signals a fresh alliance or simply a pause in hostilities is unclear. But in the high-stakes world of American politics and tech dominance, the Trump-Musk saga is far from over.
Their dynamic reflects broader tensions between Silicon Valley’s entrepreneurial class and the political establishment. While both figures share a love of spectacle and disdain for traditional media, they now appear to be navigating different visions for America’s future.
In the meantime, one thing remains clear: in Trump and Musk’s world, loyalty is fleeting, power is everything, and no feud lasts forever.