Trump vs Musk: A Timeline of the Feud
The alliance between Donald Trump and Elon Musk has publicly dissolved after a cordial farewell turned sour. Here's a breakdown of their feud ¹:
The Fallout
- *The "Big Beautiful Bill" Disagreement*: Musk criticized Trump's legislative proposal, calling it a "disgusting abomination" that would escalate the federal deficit. Trump responded, saying Musk knew the bill's details but only opposed it after EV incentives were cut.
- *Musk's Claim of Influence*: Musk claimed Trump wouldn't have won the 2024 election without his support, contributing over $277 million to Trump's campaign. Trump disputed this, saying he would have won Pennsylvania regardless.
Escalating Tensions
- *Personal Attacks and Threats*: Trump threatened to terminate government contracts and subsidies for Musk's companies. Musk retaliated by announcing the decommissioning of SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft, potentially impacting NASA collaborations.
- *Epstein Files Bombshell*: Musk accused Trump of being mentioned in the Jeffrey Epstein files, a claim Trump hasn't directly addressed.
Key Quotes
- *Musk on Trump's Bill*: "A bill can be big or beautiful, not both."
- *Trump on Musk*: "Elon was 'wearing thin,' I asked him to leave... and he just went CRAZY!"
- *Musk on Trump's Tariffs*: "The Trump tariffs will cause a recession in the second half of this year."
Aftermath
- *Tesla Stock Plunge*: Tesla's stock dropped over 14%, wiping out approximately $152 billion in market value and costing Musk $8.73 billion in personal wealth.
- *Future Implications*: The feud could reshape Republican politics ahead of 2026 and beyond, underscoring deepening divisions within the GOP's big-money donor base ² ³.
