Trump has indicated he might oppose Elon Musk over concerns regarding government subsidies for Musk’s ventures.
“Elon Musk knew I have always opposed EV mandates, long before he became a strong supporter of my presidential campaign,” Trump shared on social media early Tuesday. “It’s absurd and has been a core aspect of my platform. Electric cars are fine, but no one should be compelled to use one.”
He then cautioned the SpaceX head that if there were any misappropriation of government funds, he would suggest Musk return to South Africa.
“Elon could be receiving more subsidies than anyone else in history, but he may soon need to close up shop and head back,” Trump added.
“There would be no more rocket launches or satellites, and we could save a lot of money.”
He reiterated his stance, mentioning the possibility of investigating Musk’s subsidies, expressing that there could be considerable savings involved.
“Maybe we should scrutinize this. A huge amount of money is at stake!” he concluded.
These remarks came after Musk had publicly criticized the “Big Beautiful Bill” that Trump backed, labeling it as “completely absurd” and “political suicide.”
Musk voiced his frustrations on social media before a Senate vote on the spending legislation that could undermine Trump’s policy initiatives. He stated, “This latest Senate bill could destroy millions of jobs in America and inflict severe harm on our nation!”
He further labeled the bill as “insane and destructive,” arguing that it takes away from emerging industries while benefiting outdated ones.
On Monday, Musk continued his criticism and called for reductions in spending, although supporters of the bill stated, “We should hold our heads in shame!”
“And if it’s the last thing I do, they’ll face a significant loss in the primaries next year,” Musk remarked.
The Tesla CEO has also suggested the need for a new political party, branding current spending practices as indicative of a “one-party country.”
The fallout between Musk and Trump seems to have originated from disputes over the extensive spending legislation passed late Saturday.
This disagreement reached a point where Musk supported the removal of certain previously endorsed candidates.
Later, Musk did apologize to Trump, who hinted at the possibility of reconciliation between the two.
The wealthy entrepreneur distanced himself from the Trump administration and his position in Doge on May 29, just over four months into Trump’s presidency.
