President Donald Trump confirmed Saturday, June 7, that his relationship with Elon Musk has ended, issuing a stark warning that his former ally will face serious consequences if he funds Democratic candidates in upcoming elections. The dramatic fallout between the two men erupted publicly this week over Trump’s sweeping tax and spending legislation.
In a telephone interview with NBC News on Saturday, Trump indicated he has no intention of repairing ties with the Tesla and SpaceX CEO. When asked if he thought his relationship with Musk was over, Trump responded affirmatively, stating he was too busy with other matters and had no plans to speak with the billionaire.
The president issued a direct threat regarding Musk’s potential political activities, warning that if the tech mogul funds Democratic candidates running against Republicans who support his budget bill, there would be serious repercussions. Trump declined to specify what those consequences would entail, though he previously threatened to terminate Musk’s lucrative federal contracts.
The bitter feud began unraveling over a 10-day period starting May 28, when Musk first expressed disappointment with Trump’s signature legislation, dubbed the “Big Beautiful Bill.” The comprehensive measure extends Trump’s 2017 tax cuts, implements new tax breaks for tipped wages and overtime, overhauls Medicaid and food stamps, and increases military spending.
Musk’s criticism escalated significantly on June 3, when he called the legislation a “disgusting abomination” on his social media platform X. The world’s richest man objected to the bill’s fiscal implications, warning it would add $2.4 trillion to the national debt over 10 years and undermine his work leading the Department of Government Efficiency.
The confrontation reached its peak Thursday when Trump publicly expressed his disappointment with Musk during an Oval Office meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. “I’m very disappointed because Elon knew the inner workings of this bill,” Trump told reporters that day.
Musk responded immediately on social media, claiming Trump would have lost the election without his support. The billionaire had donated approximately $250 million to Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign and spent over a quarter billion dollars boosting him in swing states. Musk disputed Trump’s assertions about his knowledge of the bill, stating it was never shown to him and was passed too quickly for proper review.
The exchange intensified throughout Thursday afternoon, with both men trading increasingly personal attacks on their respective social media platforms. Musk made unsubstantiated claims about Trump’s connections to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, though he later deleted those posts. He also suggested Trump should be impeached and warned that the president’s tariff policies would cause a recession.
Trump retaliated on Truth Social, suggesting the easiest way to save money in the federal budget would be to terminate Musk’s governmental subsidies and contracts. He accused Musk of going “crazy” after being asked to leave the White House, claiming the billionaire had been “wearing thin.”
Vice President JD Vance attempted to mediate the situation, describing Musk’s attacks as having gone “nuclear” and suggesting it might not be possible for him to return to the administration’s fold. Vance called Musk’s targeting of the president a huge mistake, though he praised the billionaire’s work on government efficiency.
Musk had served as head of the Department of Government Efficiency for 129 days before leaving the administration last week. His departure came after Trump withdrew his nomination of Jared Isaacman, a billionaire commercial astronaut with close ties to Musk, to lead NASA. During his tenure, Musk oversaw mass layoffs of federal workers and the shuttering or partial closing of several agencies.
The feud has implications beyond personal animosity, as Musk’s criticism has emboldened Republican senators to voice fiscal concerns about the legislation’s price tag. However, Trump expressed confidence Saturday that the bill would pass the Senate before July 4, claiming the Republican Party has never been more unified.
Trump accused Musk of being disrespectful to the office of the president and suggested the billionaire’s opposition stemmed from the bill’s elimination of electric vehicle tax credits, which would impact Tesla. The president maintained he had helped Musk significantly throughout their relationship and expressed no interest in reconciliation.
