Trump and Musk attack each other in a remarkable rift

The relationship between Donald Trump and Elon Musk — which was once a strategic alliance — imploded publicly this Thursday (5), after the American president expressed being "disappointed with Elon" due to his opposition to the controversial tax bill presented by the White House.

The text, which proposes total tax exemption on tips, was criticized by Musk as "cheap populism" and "unsustainable from a fiscal perspective." The criticism, made on the X platform (formerly Twitter), sounded like a betrayal within the conservative camp, reigniting the tensions between the two most powerful billionaires in global politics and technology.

Trump responded in kind: "I am disappointed with Elon. He should be grateful for everything I have done for his sector. I never fully trusted him." The president also insinuated that Musk was "acting like a disguised Democrat."

Elon Musk's response was quick. With his direct and provocative style, he fired back on the same social network: "Without me, Trump would have lost the election." The phrase went viral, accumulating millions of interactions and fueling theories about digital interference and algorithm manipulation in 2020 and 2024 — something that Trump himself has suggested behind the scenes.

The fight exposes a rift in the core of Trumpism 2.0, where Musk, until recently, held a symbolic role as an informal advisor to the government, especially after his departure from the leadership of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), created specifically for him.