Tesla CEO Elon Musk and US President Donald Trump have entered a heated public feud after Musk stepped down from his role as a government advisor.
Musk Criticizes Tax Bill, Trump Reacts
The clash began when Musk openly criticized Trump’s tax and spending bill, saying it would worsen the national debt, which currently stands at $36.2 trillion. Although Trump remained silent at first, he later told reporters he was “very disappointed in Musk,” adding, “Look, Elon and I had a great relationship. I don’t know if we will anymore.”
Verbal Fight Spills Onto Social Media
Soon after, both men took their dispute online. Trump, writing on Truth Social, claimed that cutting Musk’s federal funding could save billions. He said, “The easiest way to save money in our Budget, Billions and Billions of Dollars, is to terminate Elon’s Governmental Subsidies and Contracts. I was always surprised that Biden didn’t do it.”
In response, Musk replied on X, “This just gets better and better. Go ahead, make my day…” He also warned that Trump’s threat could affect space operations and announced that SpaceX would “start decommissioning its Dragon spacecraft immediately.”
In light of the President’s statement about cancellation of my government contracts, @SpaceX will begin decommissioning its Dragon spacecraft immediately pic.twitter.com/NG9sijjkgW
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 5, 2025
Musk Floats Idea of New Political Party
Following his departure from the White House, Musk hinted at entering the political arena in a bigger way. In a poll on X, he asked, “Is it time to create a new political party in America that actually represents the 80% in the middle?”
This message signaled that Musk may be preparing to challenge the existing political structure.
Mike Johnson Responds to Musk’s Jab
Meanwhile, Musk brought House Speaker Mike Johnson into the feud by asking, “Where is the Mike Johnson of 2023!?” He was referring to one of Johnson’s older tweets that criticized rising government debt.
Johnson quickly hit back, saying, “The Mike Johnson of 2023 is the SAME Mike Johnson who has always been a lifelong fiscal hawk — who now serves as Speaker and is implementing a multi-stage plan to get our country back to fiscal responsibility and extraordinary economic growth.”
Feud Could Weaken GOP
Many analysts believe this feud could damage the Republican Party. Musk, aside from funding political campaigns, also holds influence through his massive social media following. He previously helped Trump connect with tech leaders and wealthy donors. Now, that support appears to be slipping away.
Given their strong personalities and love for online sparring, many had predicted a falling-out. Now that both men are attacking each other publicly, observers worry this split could hurt Republican unity ahead of the next elections.
