The public feud between former allies **Donald Trump** and **Elon Musk** erupted in early June 2025 after Musk criticized Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill" (a GOP spending/tax package) as a "disgusting abomination" laden with "pork" and risking a $2.4 trillion deficit increase . Trump retaliated by calling Musk "disappointing," accusing him of self-interest over eliminated electric vehicle subsidies, and threatening to cancel billions in federal contracts for Musk's companies (e.g., SpaceX, Tesla) .
Musk escalated hostilities on **X**, claiming:
- "Without me, Trump would have lost the election" .
- Trump was "in the Epstein files," implying unreleased documents shielded him .
- Endorsed calls for Trump's impeachment .
Trump mocked Musk's appearance (referencing a black eye) and alleged Musk "went CRAZY" after being asked to leave his government role . The spat triggered a **14% Tesla stock plunge** and Musk's brief threat to decommission SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft (critical for NASA) before backtracking . While both hinted at reconciliation , the rift exposed GOP fractures, with 71% of Republicans siding with Trump .