The confrontation between Trump and Musk reached a dramatic peak Thursday, with the billionaire, who until recently served as a senior adviser, publicly attacking the president, just hours after Trump expressed deep disappointment during remarks from the Oval Office.
These events mark the latest and most explosive turn in the feud between Trump and Musk, the world's richest man. Musk, who resigned from his post as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) just a week earlier, launched a full-frontal attack on the administration's policies.
Following the president's statement, Musk took to X, the social media platform he owns, to allege: "Time to drop the really big bomb: @realDonaldTrump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public. Have a nice day, DJT!"
Time to drop the really big bomb: @realDonaldTrump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public.
Have a nice day, DJT!
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 5, 2025
He also reposted a tweet by a user calling for Trump to resign and transfer the presidency to Vice President J.D. Vance.
The trigger for the clash appears to be a major piece of budget legislation being pushed by Trump, which the administration is promoting under the name "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" - a massive legislative package that includes tax reforms, sweeping government spending, and changes to domestic policy.
Musk lambasted the legislation on X, calling it "the monstrous, scandalous and gluttonous bill, a disgusting abomination." He didn't stop there, warning members of Congress: "Any politicians who betrayed the American people by supporting this gluttonous bill, we will fire you."
Trump responded publicly for the first time from the Oval Office, just ahead of his meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, admitting he was "very disappointed" in Musk. The president claimed Musk's opposition to the bill stemmed from personal business interests related to electric vehicle sales: "He knew every detail of this bill and never had an issue with it." Trump even predicted Musk would launch a personal attack against him soon.
According to a report in The New York Times, Musk's friends and associates "can't believe what they're witnessing." Several sources said they, "like the rest of Washington, are glued to their screens watching their friend go to war with President Trump, unsure what his strategy even is."
Later that evening, Musk tweeted that Trump's tariffs would lead to a recession in the second half of the year.
Musk had been a key figure in Trump's campaign, donating more than $250 million — one of the largest political contributions in US history. Following Trump's victory, Musk was appointed head of the Department of Government Efficiency, where he led efforts that slashed hundreds of thousands of federal jobs and became a near-constant presence at the White House and Cabinet meetings.
The current fallout seems to reflect, at least on the surface, a fundamental rift in the two men's economic philosophies. Though they initially joined forces to "streamline government" and launched an aggressive budget-cutting campaign, public disagreements began with Trump's tariff policy. Musk favored free markets and international trade, clashing with the president's protectionist leanings. Tesla shares dropped sharply, falling more than 15% in response to the feud.
