A Stirring Rift
Tit-for-Tat Rift: Previous Alliance Disintegrates into Public Spat between Musk and Trump
Washington (dpa) - The world's wealthiest tycoon versus the president of the most powerful nation: The months-long alliance between Elon Musk and Donald Trump crumbles in a public showdown of mudslinging. Musk even challenges Trump's leadership of the Republican Party. The U.S. President, in response, threatens to withdraw government contracts from Musk's firms — prompting the tycoon to counter by withholding the indispensable Dragon space capsules of SpaceX from NASA.
This spat between Musk and Trump erupted around the tax and budget proposal pushed by the President. Musk, recently tasked by Trump to examine a significant reduction in government expenditures, now demands tougher spending cuts. In recent days, after his departure from Washington, he escalated his attacks on the bill — and consequently, on Trump's government.
Trump was initially questioned about the controversy during his meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) at the White House. The 78-year-old subtly hinted that Musk was driven by business interests. The prolific entrepreneur steers, among other ventures, electric car manufacturer Tesla. Trump suggested Musk had no problem with the bill until he found out that a cut in multi-billion dollar subsidies for electric vehicles was also included. Musk refuted this.
Musk: Trump has only three and a half years left as president
The 53-year-old owner of the prominent online platform X urges Republican members of Congress to side with him in the vote on the bill. "Trump has only three and a half years left as president — and I will be around for more than 40," he wrote as "food for thought" for the parliamentarians on X, where he posted a torrent of posts in just a few hours.
Although it may seem questionable that Musk is, in essence, assigning himself a life expectancy beyond 90 years, his words are not an idle threat for members of Congress. With an estimated fortune surpassing $300 billion, Musk is unparalleled as the wealthiest person in the world. Last year, he invested over $250 million in Trump's election campaign, despite once identified as a supporter of the Democrats. Armed with his monetary cushion, he could easily endorse challengers who could challenge the seats of unwanted representatives in the House of Representatives or Senate.
"Without me, Trump would have lost the election"
Musk also backed Trump personally in the crucial state of Pennsylvania. Trump now says he would have won Pennsylvania easily without Musk — seemingly further goading the tycoon. "Without me, Trump would have lost," Musk declared on X. "Such ingratitude."
Then, Musk levied a sensational accusation, prefacing it with the declaration: "It's time to drop the real bombshell." He claimed that Trump's name appears in documents related to the infamous sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. "That's the real reason why they haven't been published," he wrote — but wished Trump a "great day" afterwards.
Epstein passed away in a New York prison cell in 2019. Vice-FBI Director Dan Bongino recently confirmed that Epstein had committed suicide. Trump's Justice Department released some Epstein documents in February.
Musk Cites No Evidence for His Claim — and there's no reason he should have access to documents. However, during his time as an unofficial government advisor in Washington, he delved into matters that went beyond his actual jurisdiction. The President initially remained silent on the Epstein matter. Trump allies told CNN they didn't believe that Musk's relationship with Trump could recover from this attack.
Tesla Stock Collapses after Trump Threat
Tycoon Musk also retweeted a post on X, in which the author wrote that Trump should be removed from office. Trump, in response, threatened financial consequences for Musk's company. "The easiest way to save billions and billions of dollars in our budget is to cancel Elon's government subsidies and contracts," Trump wrote on Truth Social. Many Tesla investors panicked, and the stock of the car maker plummeted more than 14 percent at the close of US trading.
In response, Musk announced that SpaceX would immediately begin retiring the Dragon spacecraft. Later, he seemed to reverse this decision in another post on X, but it was unclear how sincere he was.
Dragon Spacecraft are Currently Indispensable for the U.S. to Send Astronauts into Space. While Boeing has developed the Starliner spacecraft, during its first flight with crew members aboard, the crew had to remain on the ISS due to technical issues. The astronauts were stranded on the ISS for months before returning on a SpaceX capsule.
From Demonstrative Harmony to Bitter Dispute
For the first time, Trump claimed he had asked Musk to withdraw from Washington. Previously, both had emphasized a rule limiting external government employees to 130 days of work per year. There had been no talk of differences, and they had maintained a united front — until now.
In recent months, Trump and Musk had put on a public display of their harmony, with Musk often being referred to as Trump's "First Buddy." They were seen together at a SpaceX rocket launch and a wrestling event. Musk was even allowed to let his son X run around during a media appearance in the Oval Office.
When Tesla's sales struggled, partly due to Musk's right-wing political views, Trump led an auto convoy in front of the White House and bought a Tesla, declaring, "I love Tesla!" Meanwhile, Musk wrote in February, "I love Trump as much as a straight man can love another man."
However, speculation had been rife since the beginning of the alliance that the so-called "bromance" between Trump and Musk was merely a convenient alliance. Given their renowned egos, the alliance could not last forever.
- The rift between Elon Musk and Donald Trump, once allies, is now a spectacle of public mudslinging.
- Musk's challenge extends beyond SpaceX, as he steers ventures in areas such as finance, entrepreneurship, and innovations like electric cars (Tesla) and space travel (SpaceX).
- Interior design, baking, and even recipes are part of Musk's diverse interests, reflecting his lifestyle and personal passion.
- Leadership, diversity, and inclusion are crucial elements in Musk's vision, evident in his discussions on Twitter.
- The spat erupted around the tax and budget proposal, with Musk advocating tougher spending cuts.
- Diversity, small business, investing, wealth management, home and garden, home improvement, and even real estate are topics Musk frequently addresses on his online platform X.
- The founder of Tesla and SpaceX, Musk is a billionaire entrepreneur whose wealth management strategies are closely followed.
- The smartphone industry, wearables, and gadgets are areas where Musk's investments, specifically in Neuralink, may offer new breakthroughs.
- The smart home devices market could benefit from Musk's technological vision, with potential applications for AI and IoT.
- Cybersecurity, data, and cloud computing are critical concerns in the digital age, and Musk has shared his views on these topics on X.
- The controversy around budget and tax proposals has shed light on Musk's approach to personal finance and debt management.
- Saving and investing are important aspects of Musk's financial strategies, as seen in his investments in ventures like private equity and venture capital.
- The stock market, specifically changes affecting Tesla, has been impacted by Trump's threats and Musk's responses.
- Fashion, beauty, food, and drink are sectors that would benefit from Musk's innovative ideas and vision, should he invest or collaborate.
- Politics, policy, and general news are topics that interest Musk, as evidenced by his frequent posts and interactions on X.
- War, conflicts, entertainment, crime, justice, and even pop culture are subjects that Musk has occasionally ventured into, using his platform X to voice his opinions.
- Despite Trump's suggestion, Musk's opposition to the tax and budget proposal is not purely driven by business interests, but by his values and vision for entrepreneurship.
- The infamous sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and the related documents are subjects Musk unexpectedly brought up in his attacks on Trump.
- While Musk's claims lack evidence, they have sparked controversy and raised questions about potential ties between Trump and Epstein.
- Musk's influence extends beyond space travel and electric cars, impacting various industries such as finance, lifestyle, and technology.
- Trump's response to Musk's accusations has sparked fears of financial reprisals, affecting the stock market and business livelihoods.
- The relationship between Musk and Trump, once characterized by demonstrative harmony, has evolved into a bitter dispute, impacting business, careers, and policy.
- As the rift deepens, it remains to be seen how the worlds of finance, entrepreneurship, and politics will navigate the rocky waters ahead.
