What began as a seemingly ironclad alliance between President Donald Trump and tech icon Elon Musk dramatically unraveled on Thursday, descending into a fiery exchange of personal attacks and recriminations over the course of a single hour.
The rapid deterioration of their relationship, once a cornerstone of the Trump administration’s advisory circle, stunned political observers and sent shockwaves through both Washington and the tech world.
The public spat, which played out across traditional media and social platforms, escalated from a policy dispute to a deeply personal feud. The initial catalyst appeared to be Musk’s recent criticism of a domestic policy bill championed by Trump.
READ: Louisiana Sen. John Kennedy Blasts Lutnick: “I Don’t Understand” Tariff Strategy
However, the conflict quickly spiraled to encompass who deserved credit for Mr. Trump’s 2024 election victory, personal appearance digs, and even the future of government contracts with Musk’s companies.
The first volley came from Mr. Trump, who, while meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in the Oval Office, broke days of uncharacteristic silence regarding Musk.
“I’m very disappointed in Elon,” Trump stated, adding, “I’ve helped Elon a lot.” The President implied that Musk’s sudden dissent was opportunistic, given his prior support for the bill. “He knew every aspect of this bill. He knew it better than almost anybody, and he never had a problem until right after he left.”
As Trump’s remarks aired, Musk, known for his real-time social media engagement, swiftly retaliated on X, the platform he owns.
READ: Fox News’ Peter Doocy Questions Karine Jean-Pierre’s Reemergence Amid “Lies” About Biden’s Health
“Without me, Trump would have lost the election, Dems would control the House and the Republicans would be 51-49 in the Senate,” Musk declared, an unprecedented claim of credit for Trump’s electoral success. He added, “Such ingratitude.”
The war of words intensified throughout the afternoon. Musk, who had previously aimed his criticism at Republican members of Congress rather than the former President directly, discarded all caution. In a pattern familiar to many previous Trump advisors who have fallen from grace, he began openly ridiculing Trump.
Musk even floated the idea of forming a new political party on X, posting, “Is it time to create a new political party in America that actually represents the 80% in the middle?” and attaching a poll.
Trump, for his part, escalated his counter-attack on Truth Social.
He accused Musk of suffering from “Trump derangement syndrome” and claimed that Musk was “wearing thin,” prompting Mr. Trump to ask him to leave. He further asserted that he had revoked Musk’s “EV Mandate that forced everyone to buy Electric Cars that nobody else wanted (that he knew for months I was going to do!), and he just went CRAZY!”
Musk’s response on X was curt and dismissive: “Such an obvious lie. So sad.”
The rapid and public dissolution of the Trump-Musk alliance marks a significant shift in the political landscape.
The fallout raises questions about future government relations with Musk’s ventures, the stability of political allegiances in Washington, and the growing influence of social media as a battleground for high-profile disputes.
As both men continue to command massive public platforms, the repercussions of this dramatic falling out are likely to reverberate for some time.
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Connect with us: Follow the Tampa Free Press on Facebook and Twitter for breaking news and updates.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox.
