Washington — The connection between President Trump and Elon Musk broke down in dramatic and public vogue on Thursday, with the president threatening to cancel Musk’s profitable authorities contracts and Musk claiming that Mr. Trump couldn’t have received the presidency with out him, fueling a feud that erupted over Musk’s opposition to Republicans’ tax and finances invoice.
Within the afternoon, Musk dropped what he known as “the actually huge bomb,” alleging that Mr. Trump’s title appeared within the recordsdata associated to the case of Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced financier who died by suicide in federal custody in 2019 whereas dealing with fees of intercourse trafficking. “@realDonaldTrump is within the Epstein recordsdata. That’s the actual purpose they haven’t been made public,” Musk wrote on X. “Have a pleasant day, DJT!”
Trump officers vowed to unveil extra recordsdata associated to the Epstein case when the administration took energy. In February, the Justice Division issued a restricted launch of unredacted variations of recordsdata that had been public for years, a transfer that was met with criticism by conservatives who’ve demanded extra transparency.
Mr. Trump quickly responded with one other put up of his personal: “I do not thoughts Elon turning towards me, however he ought to have completed so months in the past. This is among the Best Payments ever offered to Congress.”
Musk additionally expressed assist for a put up that stated Mr. Trump must be impeached and changed by Vice President JD Vance.
The break between the president and the world’s richest man originated over Musk’s ongoing criticism of Republicans’ “huge, lovely invoice” on Capitol Hill, which cuts taxes by trillions of {dollars} and implements Mr. Trump’s home agenda, together with reducing lots of of billions of {dollars} in spending. Musk has railed towards the laws as “outrageous” and “a disgusting abomination.” The Congressional Price range Workplace estimated on Wednesday that the invoice would result in a rise of $2.4 trillion in complete deficits over the following 10 years, a conclusion that Republicans and Mr. Trump dispute.
“That is an unlucky episode from Elon, who’s sad with the One Huge Stunning Invoice as a result of it doesn’t embrace the insurance policies he wished,” White Home press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated in an announcement Thursday night. “The President is concentrated on passing this historic piece of laws and making our nation nice once more.”
“I am very disillusioned in Elon”
The president was requested about Musk’s criticism for the primary time publicly throughout a gathering with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz within the Oval Workplace earlier Thursday.
“Elon and I had a fantastic relationship,” Mr. Trump advised reporters. “I do not know if we are going to anymore.”
Mr. Trump stated Musk, the CEO of Tesla, was round for the entire technique of crafting the invoice. The president claimed he “by no means had an issue” with the laws till provisions coping with electrical car subsidies have been eradicated, threatening Tesla’s enterprise. The invoice would roll again among the clear power tax credit underneath the Biden-era local weather and well being care regulation, phasing out a tax break for clear power autos.
“I am very disillusioned in Elon. I’ve helped Elon so much,” Mr. Trump advised reporters, including that Musk “labored exhausting” and did a “good job.”
“And I will be trustworthy, I feel he misses the place,” the president continued. “He is not the primary. Folks depart my administration they usually love us. After which, sooner or later, they miss it so badly. And a few of them embrace it and a few of them truly change into hostile. I do not know what it’s. It is type of Trump derangement syndrome, I assume they name it.”
“With out me, Trump would have misplaced the election”…”Such ingratitude”
Showing to reply to Mr. Trump’s feedback in actual time, Musk wrote on X: “No matter. Preserve the EV/photo voltaic incentive cuts within the invoice, though no oil & fuel subsidies are touched (very unfair!!), however ditch the MOUNTAIN of DISGUSTING PORK within the invoice.” In one other put up, he denied that he was conscious of the main points within the invoice when it was crafted, writing that “this invoice was by no means proven to me even as soon as and was handed at nighttime so quick that just about nobody in Congress might even learn it!”
“With out me, Trump would have misplaced the election, Dems would management the Home and the Republicans can be 51-49 within the Senate,” Musk went on. “Such ingratitude,” he added.
Screenshot of an Elon Musk put up on X as his dispute escalated with President Trump, June 5, 2025.
X/@elonmusk
Musk spent roughly $277 million to elect Mr. Trump and Republican lawmakers final yr.
“Elon was ‘carrying skinny,’ I requested him to go away”
Mr. Trump volleyed again with assaults on Fact Social, claiming that he requested Musk to go away his administration and upset him with the legislative proposal ending the tax credit for electrical autos.
“Elon was ‘carrying skinny,’ I requested him to go away, I took away his EV Mandate that pressured everybody to purchase Electrical Vehicles that no one else wished (that he knew for months I used to be going to do!), and he simply went CRAZY!” the president wrote.
Threats to “terminate Elon’s Governmental Subsidies and Contracts”
The president additionally threatened to cancel Musk’s federal contracts, citing such a transfer as a cost-cutting measure.
“The simplest method to economize in our Price range, Billions and Billions of {Dollars}, is to terminate Elon’s Governmental Subsidies and Contracts. I used to be all the time shocked that Biden did not do it!” Mr. Trump stated.
SpaceX and Tesla get billions of {dollars} a yr from federal contracts and different packages. Shares of Tesla plummeted following Mr. Trump’s risk, dropping by as a lot as 18% in late buying and selling.
Musk responded with one other put up on X saying, “In gentle of the President’s assertion about cancellation of my authorities contracts, @SpaceX will start decommissioning its Dragon spacecraft instantly.” SpaceX’s Crew Dragon is utilized by NASA to ferry astronauts to the Worldwide Area Station.
The president’s feedback expressing disappointment with Musk have been a swift about-face. Lower than per week in the past, Mr. Trump gifted Musk a key to the White Home as an expression of gratitude for his work with the White Home’s Division of Authorities Effectivity, or DOGE. Musk wrapped up his time within the federal authorities Friday, as he reached the utmost quantity of days he might function a particular authorities worker.
Mr. Trump stated then that Musk was “actually not leaving. He’ll be backwards and forwards, I feel, I’ve a sense.”
Musk’s opposition has raised questions on whether or not Republicans can stay united across the centerpiece laws of Mr. Trump’s second-term agenda, however GOP leaders in Congress appeared undeterred Wednesday, because the Senate solid forward on the laws. Musk and Home Speaker Mike Johnson are anticipated to talk Thursday in regards to the invoice’s path ahead.
Assembly with German chancellor takes a flip
Mr. Trump’s feedback about Musk got here as Merz and the president met to debate commerce and tariffs, in addition to Russia’s conflict in Ukraine and tensions within the Center East. However the a part of the assembly that was open to the press was dominated by the questions on Musk.
“It is an honor to have you ever,” Mr. Trump advised the German chief, calling him a difficult negotiator however including that he is a fantastic consultant for Germany.
It was their first in-person assembly since Merz, chief of Germany’s center-right Christian Democratic Union get together, received a parliamentary vote to change into chancellor final month following an election in February.
President Trump speaks as he greets Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz on the White Home on June 5, 2025.
Evan Vucci / AP
Merz introduced a present for Mr. Trump to the White Home — an authentic copy of the start certificates belonging to Mr. Trump’s grandfather, Friedrich Trump, in German and in English.
Mr. Trump’s 50% tariffs on imports from the European Union are set to take impact July 9. The EU, which incorporates Germany, has stated it is making ready “countermeasures” to hit again. The 50% tariffs have been set to begin June 1, however Mr. Trump delayed the heavy tariffs after talking with European Fee President Ursula von der Leyen. Twenty-seven nations make up the EU.
The Trump-Merz assembly additionally comes hours after the president signed a proclamation Wednesday banning international nationals from a dozen nations, together with Afghanistan and Haiti.
Earlier within the day, Mr. Trump stated he spoke with Chinese language President Xi Jinping about tariffs and commerce for roughly 90 minutes Thursday morning. The president advised reporters within the Oval Workplace Thursday that he is accepted Xi’s invitation to go to China, and can go there with first girl Melania Trump “at a sure level.”
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Kathryn Watson