U.S. President Donald Trump stated that he was 'very surprised' and 'disappointed' by the criticism from his former ally Elon Musk regarding his key budget bill. The richest person on the planet, Elon Musk, who spent over $250 million on Trump's election campaign, in turn, was outraged by the 'ingratitude' of the president and stated that he would not have won the elections without him.
'Elon and I had a great relationship. I don’t know if it will be the same now,' Trump told reporters at the White House on Thursday.
This became the most direct criticism from Trump towards Musk for Musk (like several Republicans) calling one of Trump's main domestic policy initiatives, the 'One Big Beautiful Bill' on taxes and appropriations, a 'disgusting monstrosity.'
In response, Musk made even harsher statements on social media platform X, accusing the president of 'ingratitude,' adding: 'Without me, Trump would have lost the election.'
After the spat between Trump and Musk, the billionaire's Tesla shares fell by 15% — the largest drop in a day in three months.