The once-close alliance between two of America’s most influential figures— President Donald Trump and tech billionaire Elon Musk—has rapidly deteriorated into an escalating war of words with potentially far-reaching consequences.
When Power and Wealth Collide
What happens when one of the world’s most powerful political leaders and one of its wealthiest entrepreneurs clash publicly? The unfolding drama between Donald Trump and Elon Musk offers an answer—one marked by high-stakes threats, political intrigue, and market turmoil.
Their relationship, previously built on mutual respect and political cooperation, has taken a sharp turn. Trump recently took to his social media platform Truth Social to suggest terminating billions of dollars in government contracts and subsidies benefiting Musk’s companies, especially SpaceX.
“The easiest way to save billions in the federal budget is to cut subsidies and contracts to Elon,” Trump wrote in a pointed post.
The impact was immediate. Tesla shares plunged 14% on June 5, highlighting the real-world ramifications of the feud.
Musk Strikes Back
But this was no one-sided attack. Musk fired back strongly—calling for Trump’s impeachment, daring him to follow through on budget cuts, and threatening to accelerate efforts to phase out NASA’s reliance on SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft, a critical link to the International Space Station.
Moreover, with vast financial resources, Musk hinted he could support political candidates poised to challenge the Republican Party in the upcoming midterm elections.
Later on June 5, Musk dropped a bombshell, vaguely implying—without providing evidence—that Trump might have ties to undisclosed documents involving the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
White House Responds
Trump’s press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, dismissed Musk’s actions as a “disappointing spectacle,” suggesting the tech mogul was frustrated because Trump’s “Big and Beautiful” legislative proposal did not include provisions favoring his business interests.
What started as quiet tension a week earlier exploded into open conflict on June 4 and peaked the following day, coinciding with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s state visit to Washington.
Trump appeared caught off guard by Musk’s opposition to his proposed legislation. The former president denied allegations that he owed his 2020 electoral performance to Musk’s financial support and accused the billionaire of turning against him over potential Republican plans to reduce electric vehicle subsidies—an essential factor for Tesla’s business.
Musk responded via X (formerly Twitter), stating that he cared little about subsidies and was more concerned about reducing the U.S. national debt, which he sees as a major existential threat.
A Rapidly Unraveling Alliance
The Trump-Musk partnership once seemed unshakable. Musk had even been given special government status as a “special employee,” overseeing the White House Office of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which spearheaded major budget cuts and agency closures during Trump’s first 100 days in office.
Just last week, Musk ended his 130-day tenure in that role. Their parting was, at the time, marked by a celebratory exchange in the Oval Office, complete with symbolic “golden keys to the White House”—a nod to future collaboration.
That door now seems firmly closed.
“Elon and I used to have a great relationship,” Trump remarked, his emphasis on “used to” underscoring the rupture.
What Comes Next?
With Musk’s deep pockets and influence, observers are asking how this fallout might shape the 2026 midterm elections. He has the means to support candidates and causes that could shift the political landscape—potentially to the detriment of Trump and the Republican Party.
In response, Trump may double down by targeting Musk’s remaining allies in government or further disrupting his business ventures.
Democrats, for now, are watching from the sidelines. While they have not openly embraced Musk—despite his past support—they recognize the strategic value of his opposition to Trump.
“This is a zero-sum game. Anything Musk does that helps the Democrats inherently hurts the Republicans,” said Democratic strategist Liam Kerr in an interview with Politico.
While the ultimate outcome remains unclear, one thing is certain: this political feud between two of America’s most prominent figures is far from over—and it’s bound to keep shaking up Washington in the weeks and months ahead.
Reporting by Vietnam Insider, based on sources including BBC and Politico.
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Source: Vietnam Insider