Why Are Donald Trump and Elon Musk Fighting?

Once political allies and mutual admirers, Donald Trump and Elon Musk now find themselves locked in a bitter public feud. The fallout, which began in May 2025, has escalated into a heated battle on social media by June 2025, with both men trading accusations and threats. What caused this high-profile bromance to crash and burn? The short answer: a massive government spending bill and personal betrayal.

Here’s a detailed breakdown of what happened in May and June 2025, and exactly why Trump and Musk are now at war.

May 2025: The Big Beautiful Bill Breaks the Bond

In early May, President Trump signed into law what he dubbed the "Big Beautiful Bill" — a sweeping trillion-dollar spending package meant to boost infrastructure, stimulate the economy, and deliver on several populist promises. While the bill was publicly celebrated by Trump and his administration, it quickly drew criticism from fiscal conservatives, economists — and most notably, Elon Musk.

At the time, Musk was just finishing his term as co-leader of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) — a special White House initiative focused on cutting federal waste and streamlining bureaucracy. Appointed by Trump himself in late 2024, Musk was expected to bring a Silicon Valley-style approach to government spending.

But when the final version of the spending bill emerged, Musk felt betrayed.

He slammed the bill as a “pork-filled disaster”, accusing lawmakers and the White House of caving to lobbyists and special interests. Although Musk had previously praised Trump’s leadership and even campaigned for him, this marked a decisive break.

Mid-May 2025: Musk Resigns — and Blames Trump

Just days after his public criticism, Musk announced he would resign early from his role in DOGE.

Behind the scenes, sources reported that Musk felt used — brought in for political optics, only to be ignored when real decisions were made. The departure, while formally polite, signaled that the relationship had soured.

June 2025: The Feud Turns Public — and Personal

In early June, things escalated dramatically. Musk posted a fiery thread on X calling Trump’s spending package a “disgusting abomination” and a “massive betrayal of fiscal responsibility.” He accused the administration of ignoring DOGE’s recommendations, wasting taxpayer money, and knowingly increasing the national deficit.

That same day, Trump responded with a furious post on Truth Social, calling Musk “disloyal”, “ungrateful,” and “a glorified car salesman.” But he didn’t stop there. Trump hinted at federal retaliation, writing:

This was a clear threat to cut off billions in federal funding that Tesla, SpaceX, and Neuralink receive through contracts and subsidies.

June 5–6, 2025: Musk Strikes Back — With Epstein Allegations

Musk responded by doubling down, not just on policy but by going nuclear on Trump personally. On June 5, he posted:

This explosive accusation was a direct reference to the Jeffrey Epstein flight logs, some of which had been released earlier in the year. While Trump’s name had appeared among many public figures in those logs, no solid legal ties were confirmed. Musk’s statement was a thinly veiled threat: he knows something Trump doesn’t want the public to see.

The next day, he followed up with another cryptic post:

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt quickly dismissed Musk’s claims as “an unfortunate episode from a former friend,” and reaffirmed Trump’s commitment to the American people.

What They're Really Fighting About

The root of the feud lies in two intertwined issues:

1. The Big Beautiful Bill (Spending and Power)

   The "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" is a sweeping Republican legislative proposal introduced in May 2025. It aims to extend the 2017 tax cuts, increase defense and border security spending, and implement significant cuts to social programs like Medicaid and SNAP. The bill also includes provisions such as a 3.5% excise tax on remittances, a 10-year ban on state AI regulations, and the repeal of clean energy incentives. Critics argue it disproportionately benefits the wealthy and could add up to $4 trillion to the national debt over a decade.

   
   Musk believes the bill goes against everything he stood for in DOGE — efficient government, lean spending, and transparency. He feels Trump has abandoned fiscal responsibility for political popularity, and sees it as a betrayal of their shared mission.

2. Reputation and Leverage
   Trump sees Musk’s criticism as disloyalty, especially after appointing him, praising him, and even turning the White House lawn into a Tesla showroom. From Trump’s perspective, Musk is biting the hand that fed him. The threat to cut subsidies is Trump’s way of reasserting dominance, while Musk’s Epstein comment was likely meant as a warning: back off — or I’ll make things worse.

Conclusion: No Coming Back

This isn’t just a policy disagreement — it’s personal now. Trump and Musk both have massive egos, massive platforms, and zero tolerance for betrayal. Whether or not any actual fallout occurs — like ending federal contracts or releasing damaging documents — remains to be seen.

But one thing is clear: the Trump-Musk bromance of 2024 is dead, and in its place is a political feud that could reshape both men’s futures.