Trump–Musk feud escalates as Musk accuses Trump of appearing in Epstein files

Key Takeaways

Trump is threatening to terminate federal contracts with Elon Musk after Musk opposed a tax and spending package deal.
Musk made accusations involving Trump and Jeffrey Epstein on X, resulting in a 20% drop in Tesla shares.

President Donald Trump threatened to terminate federal contracts with Elon Musk at present after the billionaire publicly opposed Trump’s tax and spending package deal, marking a dramatic rupture of their political alliance.

Because the feud escalated, with Trump posting a number of instances on Reality Social and Musk responding on X, Musk wrote:

Time to drop the actually massive bomb:@realDonaldTrump is within the Epstein information. That’s the actual motive they haven’t been made public.

Have a pleasant day, DJT!

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 5, 2025

“@realDonaldTrump is within the Epstein information. That’s the actual motive they haven’t been made public. Have a pleasant day, DJT! Mark this put up for the long run. The reality will come out.”

The accusation got here shortly after Trump warned he would transfer to chop off all federal assist for Musk’s firms.

“The simplest manner to save cash in our Finances, Billions and Billions of {Dollars}, is to terminate Elon’s Governmental Subsidies and Contracts,” Trump posted on Reality Social, hours after expressing “very deep disappointment” in Musk throughout an Oval Workplace press convention.

Musk, who had simply stepped down as director of Trump’s Division of Authorities Effectivity, responded with a sequence of sharply worded posts.

“With out me, Trump would have misplaced the election,” he wrote on X.

Tesla shares plunged 20% following the alternate, erasing $150 billion in market worth.

The battle erupted after Musk known as Trump’s signature invoice a “disgusting abomination” on Tuesday and urged his 220 million X followers to oppose it. He additionally polled customers about creating a brand new political social gathering “that really represents the 80% within the center.”

Throughout a press convention on the White Home, Trump portrayed Musk as ungrateful.

“Look, Elon and I had a terrific relationship. I don’t know if we are going to anymore,” Trump mentioned, claiming he had already dismissed Musk from his place. “Elon was sporting skinny. I requested him to depart.”

Trump defended the invoice in a recent put up Thursday afternoon, calling it “one of many Biggest Payments ever introduced to Congress.”

He added, “It’s a Report Reduce in Bills, $1.6 Trillion {Dollars}, and the Largest Tax Reduce ever given. If this Invoice doesn’t cross, there shall be a 68% Tax Enhance, and issues far worse than that. I didn’t create this mess, I’m simply right here to FIX IT.”

The conflict comes only a week after the 2 appeared collectively at a White Home ceremony marking the top of Musk’s official function, the place his staff had lower billions in international assist and 1000’s of federal jobs.

In 2024, Musk contributed almost $300 million to Republican campaigns and helped Trump construct ties with Silicon Valley donors. A White Home official mentioned the administration sees his latest actions as a transparent shift in allegiance and emphasised that it not feels any obligation to him.