CNN’s conservative commentator Scott Jennings made a notable statement on Thursday, June 5, 2025, by placing his head in a trash bin during “The Lead with Jake Tapper.” This act was meant to illustrate the Republican sentiment regarding the ongoing feud between President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk.
Jennings explained that he would demonstrate what every Republican was experiencing and proceeded to grab a nearby trash barrel, placing his head inside. He described the situation as Republicans having their heads in garbage cans, referring to this as the emotional state of everyone he knew at that moment.
The gesture occurred as the conflict between Trump and Musk intensified over the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” a tax-and-spending proposal from Trump that Musk has criticized as a “disgusting abomination.”
The bill, which narrowly passed the House, aims to extend Trump’s 2017 tax cuts while increasing the federal deficit by $3.8 trillion over the next decade, according to estimates from the Congressional Budget Office. The 1,000-page proposal includes $350 billion for border security and removes electric vehicle tax credits that benefit Musk’s Tesla company.
Musk, who spent somewhere around $300 million supporting Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign and led the Department of Government Efficiency until recently, has been actively opposing the bill on his social media platform X. The Tesla and SpaceX CEO has posted more than two dozen messages criticizing the legislation and encouraging followers to contact Congress to oppose it.
Tensions have been building between Trump and Musk over various issues. Sources familiar with their relationship told Axios that Musk was frustrated at not receiving favorable treatment in the legislation despite his company spending over $260,000 lobbying for electric vehicle tax credits.
Trump responded to Musk’s criticism during an Oval Office meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, expressing disappointment with his former ally. The president suggested Musk was upset about the removal of electric vehicle subsidies worth billions of dollars.
The dispute escalated on Thursday, June 5, when the two exchanged personal attacks on social media. Trump posted on Truth Social that Musk was “wearing thin” and that he had asked him to leave, also claiming he had removed the electric vehicle mandate. Musk retaliated with allegations, claiming that Trump appears in files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
“@RealDonaldTrump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public. Have a nice day, DJT!” Musk posted on X.
The feud marks a significant change from their previously close relationship during Trump’s campaign and early presidency. Musk had been a frequent presence in the White House, with his Department of Government Efficiency staff working throughout federal agencies to identify inefficiencies.
The public split has created challenges for Republicans in Congress, who are trying to pass Trump’s priority legislation while managing the fallout from the high-profile dispute. Senate Republicans were already divided about the bill even before Musk campaigned against it, with deficit hawks pushing for deeper spending cuts.
Jennings aimed to capture the broader Republican sentiment about the feud. After his demonstration, he warned that Democrats were benefiting from the Republican infighting and called for party unity. “Not gonna lie. It’s an ugly day and, you know, you hate it when your friends are fighting,” he said.
Trump has set a July 4th deadline for passing his legislation, meeting with Senate Majority Leader John Thune and calling senators individually to pressure them for quick action. The stakes remain high for Republicans heading into the midterm election season, as failure to extend the 2017 tax cuts would result in tax increases for many Americans.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt described Musk’s attacks as an unfortunate episode, stating that Musk was unhappy with the bill because it did not include policies he wanted.
