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Trump and Musk Intensify Public Feud Over Deficit-Busting Spending Bill

Musk’s criticism of Trump’s spending plan triggered reciprocal threats over federal contracts to space missions.

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President Donald Trump speaks as he holds a box containing a key before presenting it to Elon Musk, left, during a news conference in the Oval Office of the White House, Friday, May 30, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
U.S. President Donald Trump and Elon Musk attend a press conference in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 30, 2025. REUTERS/Nathan Howard/File Photo
Elon Musk and Donald Trump seem to be in a showdown mode.

Overview

  • Musk called the “One Big Beautiful Bill” a “disgusting abomination” that could add $2.4 trillion to the national debt, prompting his break with the administration.
  • On Truth Social, Trump argued that “the easiest way to save money” was to terminate Musk’s government contracts, highlighting roughly $38 billion in federal subsidies.
  • Musk fired back on X by alleging Trump appears in unreleased Jeffrey Epstein files and endorsed a call to impeach him in favor of JD Vance.
  • In response to Trump’s contract threat, Musk announced SpaceX would begin decommissioning its Dragon spacecraft, risking disruption to International Space Station operations.
  • Tesla’s stock plunged more than 14 percent in a single session, erasing about $150 billion from its market capitalization amid the public row.