The uneasy truce between former political allies Donald Trump and Elon Musk appeared to run out on Monday when the world’s wealthiest entrepreneur vowed to unseat the president’s Republican allies within the Senate, and the president pushed again.
Practically inseparable simply six months in the past, the duo have fallen out over Trump’s tax reduce and spending invoice that may drive up the nationwide debt. Often called the OBBB, or “One Huge, Stunning Invoice”, the laws is because of prolong the signature Trump tax breaks from 2017 in addition to put new restrictions on Medicaid customers that might see hundreds of thousands lose well being care.
On Monday, Musk mentioned he would use all of the means at his disposal to take away Republicans that campaigned on decreasing authorities spending solely to show round and vote for a invoice that features a $5 trillion hike to the debt ceiling.
“They may lose their main subsequent yr whether it is the very last thing I do on this Earth,” he posted.
Each member of Congress who campaigned on decreasing authorities spending after which instantly voted for the most important debt enhance in historical past ought to cling their head in disgrace!
And they’ll lose their main subsequent yr whether it is the very last thing I do on this Earth.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 30, 2025
Trump responded by suggesting DOGE may reduce off Musk’s firms from federal contracts, earlier than in search of to shore up assist amongst Republicans with a warning that in the event that they didn’t move the OBBB they’d be liable for costing their constituents hard-earned cash.
“The failure to move means a whopping 68% tax enhance, the biggest in historical past!!!” warned Trump.
‘Political suicide for the Republican Occasion’
The invoice is funded partially although funding cuts to meals stamps, upon which many low earnings People in pink states rely, in addition to to Medicaid, probably spelling the tip for a lot of rural hospitals. Democrats argue it takes from the poor to provide to the wealthy, branding it a “reverse Robin Hood”.
Because the OBBB is unpopular throughout each Democrat and Republican constituents, the administration included the debt ceiling hike as leverage. Ought to Trump’s invoice fail, Congress would danger leaving the federal authorities on the precipice of default when the Treasury is predicted to expire of money someday in August.
Musk nevertheless warned the celebration he bankrolled in November with 1 / 4 billion of his personal private wealth that it may see them worn out come subsequent yr’s mid-term elections.
“Polls how that this invoice is political suicide for the Republican Occasion,” Musk wrote on Saturday.
Musk needs to kind America Occasion
Musk then went on to donate demonstratively to Thomas Massie, the Kentucky congressman and arch-deficit hawk who has turn out to be Trump’s largest insurgent within the Home GOP caucus.
But cash might not be a match to Trump’s stranglehold on the celebration base. Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina introduced he would now not search re-election after little greater than a risk from the president to marketing campaign in opposition to him.
Trump’s sway over Republicans could also be why Musk is more and more discovering attraction within the concept of a 3rd celebration regardless of their monitor file of failure.
“If this insane spending invoice passes, the America Occasion might be fashioned the following day,” he mentioned on Monday.
The assault by the world’s wealthiest tycoon and former “first buddy” didn’t go unnoticed on the White Home. Trump, who solely this weekend known as Musk a “fantastic man”, argued Musk’s opposition stemmed from the lack of subsidies. The invoice strips away funding for federal EV tax credit score and renewable power initiatives dangerous to Tesla.
‘Head again house to South Africa’
He went on to counsel the US authorities had “BIG MONEY TO BE SAVED!!!” if it reduce off taxpayer cash to firms like Tesla and SpaceX, resorting to an earlier line of assault he’s used labeling Musk a company welfare queen..
Whereas Trump has definitely been extra scathing in his critique of others that impede his agenda, he injected a brand new undertone that obliquely questioned the patriotism of Musk.
Polls present that this invoice is political suicide for the Republican Occasion pic.twitter.com/HJwKZ9g4tu— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 28, 2025
“Elon could get extra subsidy than any human being in historical past, by far, and with out subsidies Elon would most likely have to shut up store and head again house to South Africa,” he posted.
Trump has by no means earlier than advised Musk wasn’t something aside from a patriotic American. Emphasizing the Tesla CEO’s nation of start so prominently as a possible place of refuge may very well be interpreted as a veiled suggestion that the naturalized citizen is likely to be higher off leaving.
It comes solely days after GOP Congressman Andy Ogles argued in favor of stripping Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic mayoral candidate for New York Metropolis, of his citizenship so as to deport the Uganda-born Muslim.
