Trump Says Without Subsidies Musk Would Have To Close Firms And ‘Head Back Home’ To South Africa—As Feud Reignites

Topline

The feud between President Donald Trump and his former ally, Elon Musk, reignited Tuesday after the Tesla CEO said he’ll back primary challenges against GOP lawmakers voting for the president’s signature spending bill, prompting Trump to threaten to scrap government subsidies for Musk’s firms.

Key Facts

Musk attacked the spending bill in a series of posts on X on Monday night and early Tuesday morning, saying: “Every member of Congress who campaigned on reducing government spending,” and backed the mega bill “will lose their primary next year if it is the last thing I do on this Earth.”

The billionaire then tweeted, “If this insane spending bill passes, the America Party will be formed the next day,” as he bashed what he described as the “Democrat-Republican uniparty.”

Musk later said that anyone who votes for the legislation after campaigning “on the PROMISE of REDUCING SPENDING” will see their face on a poster of Pinocchio with the caption “LIAR” followed by the text “Voted to increase America’s Debt by $5,000,000,000,000.”

The X owner reshared the results of an unscientific poll he conducted on the platform last month during his public blow-up with the president and wrote “VOX POPULI VOX DEI 80% voted for a new party.”

Earlier on Monday, Musk had attacked the GOP and the spending bill, tweeting: “It is obvious with the insane spending of this bill, which increases the debt ceiling by a record FIVE TRILLION DOLLARS that we live in a one-party country – the PORKY PIG PARTY!!”

What Has Trump Said In Response?

In a post on his Truth Social platform, the president responded to Musk’s criticism of his signature spending bill by threatening to scrap government subsidies provided to the billionaire’s companies. Trump wrote: “Elon Musk knew, long before he so strongly Endorsed me for President, that I was strongly against the EV Mandate. It is ridiculous, and was always a major part of my campaign.” Trump then claimed: “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. No more Rocket launches, Satellites, or Electric Car Production, and our Country would save a FORTUNE.” The president suggested the Department of Government Efficiency—a brainchild of Musk, who previously led the agency—should “take a good, hard, look” at the subsidies offered to companies like SpaceX and Tesla. Musk shot back on X, by daring Trump to slash the subsidies: “I am literally saying CUT IT ALL. Now.”

Tangent

While criticizing the backers of the spending bill, Musk also boosted some of its prominent critics within the GOP, including some who have been the targets of Trump’s ire. Musk retweeted a post by Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who Trump called a “Third Rate Congressman,” which said: “‘BBB’ = our credit rating if this bill becomes law.” Musk then vowed to support Massie’s reelection bid next year. Musk also reshared posts made by Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., whom Trump threatened to primary before he announced his decision not to seek reelection. Tillis had reshared a Musk post which appeared to criticize the spending bill for targeting solar and battery tech, and wrote: “Folks, Elon Musk is 100% right, and he understands this issue better than anyone. We should take his warnings seriously.”

Key Background

Musk, who left his role as a Trump administration “special government employee” late in May, has since attacked the so-called “Big Beautiful Bill” backed by the president and the House GOP. The billionaire previously described himself as Trump’s “first buddy,” but eventually directed his ire directly at the president by sharing older clips of the president bashing Republicans for raising the debt ceiling. The feud escalated after the president accused Musk of having “Trump Derangement Syndrome,” a phrase he often uses to target his critics. This launched a social media war between them, during which Trump threatened to scrap Musk’s government contracts. The billionaire retorted with a now-deleted tweet alleging without evidence that Trump’s name was in the Epstein files. Both individuals appeared to have reached a detente until Monday, with Musk even tweeting he regretted some of his “posts about President Donald Trump,” which he said “went too far.”

Further Reading

The Musk Vs. Trump Feud Timeline (Forbes)

Musk Says He Regrets His Posts Bashing Trump Last Week—‘Went Too Far’ (Forbes)