Musk-Trump feud goes public as words exchanged over social media

A bitter and highly public feud between Tesla CEO Elon Musk and President Donald Trump escalated dramatically Thursday, with the tech billionaire launching a blistering attack that included policy criticisms, allegations of betrayal, and an explosive reference to Jeffrey Epstein.

The fallout began after Musk denounced Trump’s recently passed “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” calling the multitrillion-dollar package fiscally irresponsible and warning it could trigger a recession. The bill, which narrowly cleared the House, seeks to extend Trump’s 2017 tax cuts, ramp up defense and border spending, and reduce funding to Medicaid and other federal assistance programs. The Congressional Budget Office estimates the legislation would add $3 trillion to the deficit over the next decade.

Trump, speaking from the Oval Office, expressed “disappointment” in Musk, claiming the tech mogul had supported the bill’s framework during earlier private discussions. “Look, Elon and I had a great relationship. I don’t know if we will anymore,” the president said.

Musk responded in real-time on X (formerly Twitter), accusing Trump of “ingratitude” and denying he had ever seen the bill before its late-night passage. Musk claimed he personally influenced the 2024 election outcome in Trump’s favor and criticized the bill’s removal of electric vehicle tax credits. “Without me, Trump would have lost the election,” Musk wrote, adding, “Such ingratitude.”

In a provocative turn, Musk echoed a call for Trump’s impeachment and endorsed replacing him with Vice President JD Vance. He also revived long-standing rumors by claiming, without evidence, that Trump’s name appears in unreleased Epstein files. “That is the real reason they have not been made public,” Musk posted.

Trump fired back on his social media platform, saying he had ended electric vehicle mandates Musk benefited from and suggesting the easiest budget fix would be terminating Musk’s government contracts and subsidies. “He just went CRAZY!” Trump posted.

White House officials reportedly tried to contact Musk for de-escalation, but received no response. Sources confirmed Musk had privately lobbied Congress to preserve EV incentives, a claim Musk now denies.

The Senate is expected to face intense debate over the bill, with a group of Republican fiscal conservatives threatening to derail its progress. The public rift between two of the GOP’s most powerful figures now threatens to overshadow that legislative fight.