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Trump threatens to cut Musk contracts as social media feud escalates
Then President-elect Donald Trump, left, and Elon Musk embrace at a rally in October 2024 in better times for their relationship.
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Anna Moneymaker
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Getty Images
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The feud between President Donald Trump and his former adviser, Elon Musk, ramped up Thursday as the two lashed out at each other on social media.
Musk — who for days has been blasting a GOP megabill advancing most of Trump's biggest domestic policy priorities — said that Trump would have lost the election without his support and called him ungrateful.
Then Trump posted that "the easiest way" to save billions of dollars of government spending would be to "terminate Elon's governmental subsidies and contracts."
The public feud seemed to drive a stake through what had been a big-money political bromance. Musk, who spent close to $300 million to elect Trump and became one of his closest advisers before leaving the administration last week, suggested it was time to start a new political party .
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The sniping was sparked by comments Trump made in the Oval Office earlier in the day when asked about Musk's criticism of the tax and spending bill. Trump said he was surprised that Musk had been scorching the package, but said he thought Musk was wrong and conflicted in his criticism.
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The judge has previously sided with UC scholars several times since June in halting Trump’s termination of science and health research funding. -
The overhaul shifts funds to transitional housing requiring work and addiction treatment. The administration says it promotes "self-sufficiency," but critics warn many will risk losing housing again. -
Americans are feeling the strain of high prices, even as President Trump tries to tout "record highs" in the stock market.
"Elon and I had a great relationship. I don't know if we will anymore," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.
"He's worn that hat, 'Trump was right about everything' — and I am right about the great big, beautiful, bill," Trump said.
He said Musk "knew the inner workings of this bill better than almost anybody" and "never had a problem until right after he left." On X, Musk quickly countered, claiming "this bill was never shown to me even once."
Musk, who for months led the administration's government-slashing unit, has called the bill "pork-filled" and a "disgusting abomination."
"In the entire history of civilization, there has never been legislation that both big and beautiful," Musk posted Thursday. "Everyone knows this! Either you get a big and ugly bill or a slim and beautiful bill. Slim and beautiful is the way."
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Trump said he thought Musk was upset because the bill proposes to cut subsidies for electric vehicles , a policy that would affect his company Tesla, and because Trump pulled his nominee for NASA on Saturday. That pick, Jared Isaacman, had been recommended by Musk, and the nomination had cleared committee and was awaiting Senate confirmation. Isaacman is a friend of Musk, and his online payment company, Shift 4, has financial ties to SpaceX. On Thursday, Trump suggested he didn't think the relationship "was appropriate."
He noted that Musk had only had positive things to say upon leaving the Oval Office last week . "You saw a man who was very happy when he stood behind the Oval desk. And even with the black eye — I said, 'You want a little makeup? We'll get you there to make up,' but he said, 'No, I don't think so.' Which is interesting and very nice. He wants to be who he is," Trump said.
Trump said he thought that Musk missed being part of the action at the White House, and said he was similar to other former staffers who leave to become critics.
"They leave, and they wake up in the morning, and the glamor is gone. The whole world is different, and they become hostile, I don't know what it is," Trump said.
Later, on his Truth Social social media platform, Trump sharpened his attack on Musk: "Elon was 'wearing thin,' I asked him to leave, I took away his EV mandate … and he just went CRAZY," Trump posted .
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But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
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