In a post shared on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday, Musk wrote:
“I regret some of my posts about President @realDonaldTrump last week. They went too far.”
The statement followed comments by Trump warning of “serious consequences” for Musk. These remarks were reportedly in response to speculation that Musk intended to back candidates opposing Trump-aligned Republicans in the upcoming midterm elections.
“If he does, he’ll have to pay the consequences for that,” Trump told NBC, without elaborating on the specifics.
When Did Musk and Trump Fall Out?
The rift began after Musk publicly criticized Trump’s legislative proposal known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill” (OBBB), describing it as a “disgusting abomination.” The bill aimed at large-scale tax cuts but was projected to add around USD 3 trillion (AUD 4.62 trillion) to the national debt. Musk, who had recently stepped down from his advisory role in the Department of Government Efficiency (DoGE), argued that the bill would saddle American citizens with “crushing, unsustainable debt.”
Trump retaliated by threatening to withdraw government subsidies and contracts linked to Musk’s ventures. In response, Musk asserted that Trump owed his political success to him:
“Without me, Trump would have lost the election. Dems would control the House and the Republicans would be 51-49 in the Senate,” he posted, later adding, “Such ingratitude.”
Musk also reposted content criticizing Trump, including calls for the president’s impeachment.
Trump soon responded with a personal attack, stating:
“Elon was ‘wearing thin.’ I asked him to leave […] and he just went CRAZY!”
The Allegation That Escalated Everything
The most explosive moment in the feud came when Musk alleged, in a now-deleted post, that Trump’s name appeared in documents related to disgraced financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
“Time to drop the really big bomb: @realDonaldTrump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public. Have a nice day, DJT!” Musk wrote.
Trump, in turn, attributed Musk’s outburst to the administration’s decision to eliminate electric vehicle tax credits. In a May 29 CBS interview, Musk voiced his disappointment:
“I was, like, disappointed to see the massive spending bill, frankly, which increases the budget deficit, not decreases it, and undermines the work the DoGE team is doing.”
Despite the public fallout, Trump seemed to suggest that Musk’s departure might not be permanent:
“Elon’s really not leaving. He’s going to be back and forth, I think—I have a feeling.”
