#TrumpVsMusk An Unlikely Alliance

Musk and Trump formed a powerful but unlikely alliance, which led the tech billionaire to take a key position in the Trump administration, with the authority to cut budgets.

Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) became one of the biggest news stories of Trump's first 100 days, shutting down entire agencies and laying off thousands of public employees.

However, speculation didn't take long to arise about when and how the relationship between these two colossal personalities would ultimately break down.

For a time, it seemed those predictions were wrong.

Trump supported Musk even as his popularity fell, while he faced government officials and became a burden in several key elections earlier this year.

Whenever a breakup was imminent, Musk appeared in the Oval Office, in the Cabinet Room, or on a flight with the president on Air Force One to Mar-a-Lago.

When Musk's 130 days as a "special government employee" ended last week, both had a friendly farewell in the Oval Office, with hints that Musk might return someday.

It can be said with certainty that any invitation has been revoked.

"Elon and I had a great relationship," Trump said on Thursday, a notable comment given the use of the past tense.

The surprising announcement by Trump on Wednesday night about a new travel ban, additional sanctions on Harvard, and a government investigation against former President Joe Biden was believed to be attempts to divert attention from Musk's criticism of the Republicans' budget law.

The White House and its allies in Congress seemed to be careful not to further antagonize Musk after his previous comments.

Then Trump spoke and... that was it.