Trump, Elon Musk Feud Erupts Over Spending Bill, National Debt

⁤ Updated June 05, 2025
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A war of words has broken out between President Donald Trump​ and Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, over ‍a controversial ⁤spending bill and its projected ‍impact on the national debt. The public feud marks ⁣a⁤ sharp departure from their once-close relationship, which saw Musk‌ contribute heavily to ⁢Trump’s 2024 campaign and‌ briefly serve in the ⁢White House.

Musk ignited the conflict ⁤by publicly urging the governance to scrap the ‌”One Big Lovely Bill Act,” citing concerns about its potential ⁣to ‌balloon the national debt. His call to⁣ “kill the bill” drew a swift rebuke from Trump.

Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump expressed his disappointment. “Elon⁤ and⁢ I had a​ great relationship, I ⁤don’t know if we will ⁢anymore,” Trump said, hinting at a possible end to their alliance. ⁤He also ‍suggested⁣ that Musk’s criticism might become more personal.

Musk,responding​ via his social media platform X,took credit for Trump’s previous election victory. He stated​ that his financial contributions,⁢ totaling over $280 million to Trump and other ⁢Republicans, were essential. “Without me, ⁢Trump would have lost ⁤the election,” Musk ⁢wrote.

The dispute reportedly had been brewing privately for weeks, with Musk voicing ‍concerns about the bill and other administration policies, ‍including the establishment of an‍ artificial intelligence‌ campus in the Middle East and the imposition ⁢of global⁢ tariffs.⁣ While Musk acknowledged agreeing with many of the administration’s actions, he admitted to having “differences⁣ of opinion.”

Trump believes Musk’s change of heart stemmed⁢ from the rejection of ‌Musk’s NASA‌ administrator recommendation, a position⁢ that could have benefited SpaceX, and from the ⁢bill’s provisions to phase out‌ tax credits for electric vehicles.Trump emphasized Musk’s prior⁤ knowledge and apparent acceptance of⁣ the bill’s details, suggesting that ⁤the EV⁣ mandate cut was the turning point.

“Elon knew‌ the inner ​workings⁣ of this bill better⁣ than almost anybody sitting here…All​ of a sudden he ‍had a problem, and he only developed the problem⁤ when he‍ found ⁣out that we’re going to have to cut the EV‌ mandate, because that’s billions and billions​ of dollars,” Trump said.

Musk refuted ‌Trump’s claim that he had seen the bill, arguing that it ⁢was‌ rushed through Congress with little scrutiny. He suggested ‌keeping the⁣ EV incentives while eliminating other provisions he deemed wasteful. “This bill was never shown to me even once⁣ and ‌was⁢ passed in the dead ‍of night ‍so​ fast that almost ‌no one in Congress could even‌ read it!” Musk wrote.

The ⁣Congressional Budget Office⁢ estimates the bill ‍would‌ add $2.4 trillion⁣ to the national debt over the next decade and cause millions to lose health⁢ insurance coverage.

Musk’s tenure as ⁢head of the Department of ​Government efficiency (DOGE),a​ white⁤ House program aimed at cutting federal spending,concluded last week. ⁢He has as criticized Trump’s current stance on deficits, contrasting it‌ with past warnings against increasing the debt ceiling.

What’s next

The bill is currently under consideration in the Senate. The⁤ outcome⁣ of the vote remains uncertain as the feud ⁤between Trump ⁤and Musk adds another layer of⁤ complexity to the legislative process. The future ​of their relationship also⁢ hangs in the balance.