On Thursday, President Donald Trump suggested cutting government subsidies for Elon Musk, shortly after Musk claimed he was the reason Trump would win the 2024 election and accused him of expressing gratitude.
“One of the simplest ways to save billions from the budget is to stop Elon’s government contracts and subsidies. I’ve often wondered why Biden hasn’t done this!” Trump stated on Truth Social.
In another post on the platform, Trump claimed Musk was “mad” for pulling back on his electric vehicle initiative, which had led many to buy cars that weren’t in demand.
“Elon ‘wears thin,’ I expressed my desire for him to step back, and I took away his EV delegation. He pushed everyone to get an electric vehicle that nobody wanted—it’s not like I wasn’t trying to intervene for months!” Trump wrote.
Just two hours before Trump’s comments, Musk had shared a post on social media asserting that if he hadn’t been involved, Democrats would control the House and Republicans would only have a narrow majority in the Senate.
“Such complaints,” Musk added in a follow-up post.
This back-and-forth arose after Musk criticized Trump’s large spending bill, describing it as “nasty hatred.”
“I can’t tolerate it any longer,” Musk commented on social media. “This huge, outrageous Congressional spending bill is filled with pork and is simply terrible.”
“I feel embarrassed for those who supported it. Deep down, you know it was the wrong decision,” he remarked.
On Thursday, Trump expressed his surprise and disappointment over Musk’s comments during a meeting with German Prime Minister Friedrich Merz.
“I truly didn’t expect this because I’ve always respected Elon,” said Trump. “He had kind words for me, and I wish he’d criticize me more than the bill.”
“Elon and I had a fantastic relationship. Now, it feels uncertain,” Trump continued.
The president noted that Musk’s concerns centered around the elimination of the electric vehicle tax credit from the bill—a matter Musk was well aware of from the beginning.
“He was informed about every detail of this bill, possibly better than anyone else. And there were no issues until just after he left. I’m genuinely let down by Elon. I’ve supported him greatly,” Trump concluded.
