On Thursday, the 5th of June, President Donald Trump threatened to terminate government contracts with billionaire Elon Musk’s companies, while Musk suggested that Trump should be impeached, as their bromance exploded into a full-scale social media brawl, reports Reuters.
The social media spat began on Thursday when Trump criticised Musk in the Oval Office. Within hours, the once close relationship collapsed in front of the whole world as the two began publicly insulting each other.
“The easiest way to save money in our budget, billions and billions of dollars, is to end government subsidies and contracts with Elon,” Trump later wrote on Truth Social.
Tesla shares fell 14.3%, losing around 150 billion US dollars in value, the biggest one-day drop in the company’s history.
Minutes after the stock market closed, Musk replied with “Yes” to a post on X saying Trump should be impeached. Trump’s Republicans have a majority in both houses of Congress and are unlikely to impeach him.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 5, 2025
Problems between the two started brewing a few days ago when Musk condemned Trump’s sweeping tax cut and spending bill. Initially silent, the President told reporters at a press conference in the Oval Office on Thursday that he was “very disappointed with Musk.
TRAMP ATTRIBUTED MUSK’S CRITICISM OF THE “BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL” TO THE FORTHCOMING EV TAX BREAK SCRAPPING, WHICH WILL ALSO BE A BLOW FOR TESLA.
“Suddenly he had a problem, and that problem only came when he found out we were going to cut the electric vehicle mandate, which is billions and billions of dollars, Trump said in the Oval Office on Thursday.
“Elon and I had a great relationship. I don’t know if we’ll have that again,” Trump said.
While Trump was talking, Musk was responding with increasingly acerbic posts on X.
“Without me, Trump would have lost the election,” wrote Musk, who spent nearly 300 million dollars supporting Trump and other Republicans in last year’s election. “Such ingratitude.”
On Tuesday, he suggested that campaigns could be funded to potentially impeach Republicans who supported the Republican bill.
Then he delivered what he said was a “really big bomb”, saying that Trump’s name appears in the material of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, and said that the material “has not been made public” in order to hide that fact.
In another post, Musk claimed that the tariffs signed by Trump will push the US into recession later this year.
In addition to Tesla, Musk also owns SpaceX, a rocket company, as well as its satellite unit Starlink.
Musk, whose companies play a key role in the US government’s space programme, announced that he would terminate the Dragon spacecraft programme because of Trump’s threat. Dragon is currently the only US spacecraft capable of sending astronauts to the International Space Station.
A few hours later, Musk appeared to back down. Responding to a follower on X who urged Musk and Trump to chill and take a break for a few days, Musk wrote: “Good advice. OK, we’re not going to eliminate Dragon.”
Later that evening, he also agreed with the call for peace between him and Trump. While Trump, White House aides signalled a possible detente with Musk.
THE CONFLICT WAS NO SURPRISE.
Both Trump and Musk have big egos, a combative style and both actively use social media to fight with critics. Many had expected them to clash eventually.
For Trump, this fight was the first serious disagreement with one of his key advisers since taking office. His first term was marked by many disagreements.
After being the biggest Republican contributor to the 2024 campaign, Musk became one of Trump’s top advisers, heading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). He achieved cuts in federal jobs and spending. Musk frequently visited the White House and the Capitol, sometimes with his son.
Just six days before Thursday’s clash, Trump and Musk met in the Oval Office, where Trump praised Musk’s work in government and the two promised to continue working together.
A prolonged fight between Trump and Musk could damage the Republicans in next year’s mid-term elections. Musk not only provided large sums of campaign funds, but also helped Trump reach Silicon Valley and wealthy supporters thanks to his large online following.
Musk posted a poll on X asking people about forming a third party, asking “Is it time for a new political party in America that truly represents 80% of the middle class?
Also read: Musk calls Trump’s “big beautiful bill” a “disgusting abomination”
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