Musk blasts Trump: ‘Without me, Trump would have lost’
- The alliance between President Donald Trump and mega-billionaire tech mogul Elon Musk dramatically fractured over the president’s major tax bill.
- Trump said Musk opposes the bill, which is pending in the Senate, because the Tesla CEO is “upset” about the elimination of EV credits in the package, and the president nixing his pick to run NASA.
- “Whatever,” replied Musk, who had wanted fellow billionaire tech executive Jared Isaacman to run the space agency. “Without me, Trump would have lost the election.”
The alliance between President
Donald Trump and mega-billionaire tech mogul
Elon Musk dramatically fractured Thursday over the president’s major
tax bill, which is pending in the Senate.
Trump said that Musk — who until recently was one of his top advisors — opposes the budget package because the
Tesla CEO is “upset” about the elimination of electric vehicle credits in the bill, and the Republican president nixing his pick to run
NASA.
“I’m very disappointed in Elon. I’ve helped Elon a lot,” Trump told reporters at the
White House, where less than a week ago he lauded Musk’s work on the
DOGE project to cut federal spending and employee headcount.
“Elon and I had a great relationship. I don’t know if we will anymore,” Trump said.
Musk quickly and dismissively fired back at Trump in a post on his
social media site X.
“Whatever,” wrote Musk, who has criticized bill because it will increase federal deficits.
“Keep the EV/solar incentive cuts in the bill, even though no oil & gas subsidies are touched (very unfair!!), but ditch the MOUNTAIN of DISGUSTING PORK in the bill. In the entire history of civilization, there has never been legislation that both big and beautiful.”
“Without me, Trump would have lost the election,” Musk soon after tweeted.
“Dems would control the House and the Republicans would be 51-49 in the Senate,” added Musk, who was the biggest financial backer of Trump’s 2024 campaign, spending more than $250 million on that effort.
“Such ingratitude,” he wrote.
Musk launched a
poll on X, asking users, “Is it time to create a new political party in America that actually represents the 80% in the middle?”
Tesla
shares slid by more than 8% as the feud erupted between the EV-maker’s CEO and the Republican president.
Trump’s analysis of Musk’s motivation came after days of the billionaire condemning what Trump calls his “One, Big, Beautiful Bill” over concerns it will blow out federal deficits.
Musk on Tuesday called the bill, which is being considered by the Senate, a
“disgusting abomination.”
Last Saturday, less than two days after praising Musk at an Oval Office event, the president said he was withdrawing Musk’s preferred nominee, tech billionaire Jared Issacman, to run the space agency NASA.
“You know, I’ve always liked Elon,” said Trump on Thursday. “I’d rather have him criticize me than the bill, because the bill is incredible.”
https://www.cnbc.com/2025/06/05/trump-musk-bill-nasa-ev.html