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Trump ends his relationship with Elon Musk after Musk attacked his tax bill
Donald Trump said on Thursday that he’s done with Elon Musk. Speaking from the White House, the president said Elon had been attacking his tax bill out of personal frustration.
Trump claimed the Tesla CEO was angry over the removal of electric vehicle tax credits and because his preferred NASA nominee, Jared Isaacman, got blocked by the administration. Trump’s announcement followed a full week of Elon hammering the bill on X and calling it a “disgusting abomination.”
Trump said Elon “knew” the bill would scrap the EV tax breaks. “He knew it… a long time ago,” Trump told reporters, referring to the removal of incentives that had pumped billions into Elon’s business. “Elon is upset because we took the EV mandate, which was a lot of money for electric vehicles,” Trump continued.
“And you know, they’re having a hard time, the electric vehicles, and they want us to pay billions of dollars in subsidy.” Trump also said, “You know, I’ve always liked Elon. I’d rather have him criticize me than the bill, because the bill is incredible.” He defended the bill, calling it his “One, Big, Beautiful Bill,” while dismissing Elon’s criticism as political.
Elon says he made Trump president as Tesla stock plunges
Elon responded in real time using his social platform, posting just one word: “Whatever.” But the billionaire didn’t stop there. He followed it up with another post attacking the bill’s content. “Keep the EV/solar incentive cuts in the bill, even though no oil & gas subsidies are touched (very unfair!!), but ditch the MOUNTAIN of DISGUSTING PORK in the bill,” Elon wrote.
Then he mocked Trump’s branding of the legislation, adding: “In the entire history of civilization, there has never been legislation that is both big and beautiful. Everyone knows this! Either you get a big and ugly bill or a slim and beautiful bill. Slim and beautiful is the way.”
Elon also pushed back against Trump’s claim that he had prior knowledge of the EV credit cuts. “False,” he wrote. “This bill was never shown to me even once and was passed in the dead of night so fast that almost no one in Congress could even read it!”
But just when we thought it was over, Elon went even lower, saying, “Without me, Trump would have lost the election, Dems would control the House and the Republicans would be 51-49 in the Senate. Such ingratitude.”
These public attacks coincided with Tesla’s stock dropping by about 4% on Thursday, erasing part of its 22% rally in May. Tesla shares are now down over 20% for the year, far from their $488.54 peak hit on December 18.
Trump allies blocked Elon’s NASA pick, says biographer
Walter Isaacson, who published a biography on Elon last year, said on Thursday that there was another key reason behind Elon’s fallout with Trump’s inner circle. Elon had pushed for his friend Jared Isaacman to take over as NASA administrator.
But that proposal was reportedly blocked by Trump officials. “That, to Musk, was just infuriating,” Isaacson said. “Because they were going after Jared Isaacman… to get at Musk.” The biographer said Elon took it as a personal betrayal and added that the move was meant to limit his influence.
The breakdown in their relationship comes just months after Elon was Trump’s single largest campaign donor, pouring more than $250 million into the 2024 reelection effort. At the time, Elon had not only given money but also taken on a temporary advisory position.
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Trump claimed the Tesla CEO was angry over the removal of electric vehicle tax credits and because his preferred NASA nominee, Jared Isaacman, got blocked by the administration. Trump’s announcement followed a full week of Elon hammering the bill on X and calling it a “disgusting abomination.”
Trump said Elon “knew” the bill would scrap the EV tax breaks. “He knew it… a long time ago,” Trump told reporters, referring to the removal of incentives that had pumped billions into Elon’s business. “Elon is upset because we took the EV mandate, which was a lot of money for electric vehicles,” Trump continued.
“And you know, they’re having a hard time, the electric vehicles, and they want us to pay billions of dollars in subsidy.” Trump also said, “You know, I’ve always liked Elon. I’d rather have him criticize me than the bill, because the bill is incredible.” He defended the bill, calling it his “One, Big, Beautiful Bill,” while dismissing Elon’s criticism as political.
Elon says he made Trump president as Tesla stock plunges
Elon responded in real time using his social platform, posting just one word: “Whatever.” But the billionaire didn’t stop there. He followed it up with another post attacking the bill’s content. “Keep the EV/solar incentive cuts in the bill, even though no oil & gas subsidies are touched (very unfair!!), but ditch the MOUNTAIN of DISGUSTING PORK in the bill,” Elon wrote.
Then he mocked Trump’s branding of the legislation, adding: “In the entire history of civilization, there has never been legislation that is both big and beautiful. Everyone knows this! Either you get a big and ugly bill or a slim and beautiful bill. Slim and beautiful is the way.”
Elon also pushed back against Trump’s claim that he had prior knowledge of the EV credit cuts. “False,” he wrote. “This bill was never shown to me even once and was passed in the dead of night so fast that almost no one in Congress could even read it!”
But just when we thought it was over, Elon went even lower, saying, “Without me, Trump would have lost the election, Dems would control the House and the Republicans would be 51-49 in the Senate. Such ingratitude.”
These public attacks coincided with Tesla’s stock dropping by about 4% on Thursday, erasing part of its 22% rally in May. Tesla shares are now down over 20% for the year, far from their $488.54 peak hit on December 18.
Trump allies blocked Elon’s NASA pick, says biographer
Walter Isaacson, who published a biography on Elon last year, said on Thursday that there was another key reason behind Elon’s fallout with Trump’s inner circle. Elon had pushed for his friend Jared Isaacman to take over as NASA administrator.
But that proposal was reportedly blocked by Trump officials. “That, to Musk, was just infuriating,” Isaacson said. “Because they were going after Jared Isaacman… to get at Musk.” The biographer said Elon took it as a personal betrayal and added that the move was meant to limit his influence.
The breakdown in their relationship comes just months after Elon was Trump’s single largest campaign donor, pouring more than $250 million into the 2024 reelection effort. At the time, Elon had not only given money but also taken on a temporary advisory position.
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