Former allies turned adversaries, Donald Trump and Elon Musk clashed publicly on Tuesday, with the U.S. president threatening to deport and cut federal funding for the tech billionaire after Musk criticized Trump’s signature spending package.
Musk, once the top donor to Trump’s 2024 campaign and appointed head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) during Trump’s early return to office, now appears to be distancing himself. The Tesla and SpaceX CEO is reportedly considering launching a rival political party to challenge Republican lawmakers who support Trump’s so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill.”
As Trump traveled to Florida for the inauguration of a controversial migrant detention center nicknamed “Alligator Alcatraz,” he responded sharply when asked about Musk’s criticisms.
“We’ll have to take a look,” Trump said when questioned about whether Musk—an American citizen since 2002—could be deported. He also hinted at targeting government contracts and subsidies awarded to Musk’s companies, including SpaceX and Starlink.
“We might have to put DOGE on Elon. You know what DOGE is? DOGE is the monster that might have to go back and eat Elon,” Trump quipped, before adding later in Florida, “I don’t think he should be playing that game with me.”
Responding to the president’s remarks, Musk posted on X (formerly Twitter): “So tempting to escalate this. So, so tempting. But I will refrain for now.”
Tesla’s stock dropped by about 5% following Trump’s threats.
The president’s attacks continued on Truth Social, where he accused Musk of opposing the bill out of personal frustration, claiming it had excluded provisions favorable to the electric vehicle industry. “Without subsidies, Elon would probably have to close up shop and head back home to South Africa,” Trump posted
