Overview

• White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles said on Pod Force One that their alliance “was a great thing when it was a great thing” but had a “very troublesome ending.”
• Musk departed the Department of Government Efficiency in late May after denouncing the One Big Beautiful Bill Act as a “disgusting abomination” over its impact on the federal deficit.
• Their public clash escalated when Musk accused the Justice Department of withholding Jeffrey Epstein files because they mentioned Trump and Trump threatened to cut contracts or deport him.
• Musk has since announced plans to launch the America Party to contest next year’s midterm elections and influence the balance of power in Washington.
• Trump dismissed the third-party bid as “ridiculous” and branded Musk a “train wreck,” signalling lingering tensions under a surface truce.