Trump Elon Musk feud: Trump suggested his efficiency department should take a look at cutting the subsidies that Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s companies have received.
Trump on Musk subsidies: US President Donald Trump has suggested his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to look into cutting the subsidies being offered to Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s companies in order to save federal government’s money.
Trump took a swipe at Musk, who was working as the president’s advisor and leading DOGE until May, and claimed that without subsidies, the Tesla CEO “would probably have to close up shop”. The Republican leader’s comment comes after Musk criticised the slashing of subsidies for electric vehicles in Trump’s “Big, Beautiful bill”.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said “Elon may get more subsidy than any human being in history, by far, and without subsidies, Elon would probably have to close up shop and head back home to South Africa.”
Adding to the post targeting his former advisor Musk, Trump said “No more Rocket launches, Satellites, or Electric Car Production, and our Country would save a FORTUNE. Perhaps we should have DOGE take a good, hard, look at this? BIG MONEY TO BE SAVED!!!”
In a response to Trump’s post, Musk on his own social media platform X, said “I am literally saying CUT IT ALL. Now.”
Musk and Trump have been at loggerheads since past month over the president’s coveted “Big, Beautiful bill” on spending and tax-cuts and the tech billionaire has said that if the US lawmakers pass the bill in Congress, then he would launch a new political outfit “America Party”.
Musk, while taking a jibe at Trump’s spending bill, stated “it gives handouts to industries of the past while severely damaging industries of the future.” Trump said that electric cars are fine but raised objections to everyone owning it forcefully. The Republican president reminded Musk that even before he “strongly endorsed” him for the presidency, “I was strongly against the EV Mandate. It is ridiculous, and was always a major part of my campaign.”
After being relatively silent following a public spat with Trump over the legislation, Musk has rejoined the debate on Saturday to criticise and call out lawmakers, involved in the passage of the bill as Senate is having a marathon voting to ratify the spending bill. Musk called the bill “utterly insane and destructive”.
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On Monday, Musk ramped up his criticism of lawmakers who had campaigned on cutting spending in 2024 and still backed the bill, saying they “should hang their heads in shame!” Musk also threatened to unseat the lawmakers if they support the bill. The billionaire entrepreneur added that “those lawmakers who support the bill would certainly lose their primary next year.”
