The fragile alliance between President Donald Trump and Elon Musk imploded on Tuesday after Trump threatened to deport the billionaire tech mogul and strip his companies of federal contracts over opposition to his administration’s signature spending proposal.
At a press briefing in Washington, Trump took aim at Musk’s recent attacks on the so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill”, a sweeping federal spending package that Musk says will balloon the deficit and undercut U.S. leadership in electric vehicles and clean energy.
“We’ll have to take a look,” Trump said when asked if he would consider revoking Musk’s U.S. citizenship or deporting him. Musk became a naturalized American in 2002.
In a sharp reply on his social media platform X, Musk responded,
“So tempting to escalate this. So, so tempting. But I will refrain for now.”
The feud marks a stunning turnaround in a relationship that began with enthusiasm. Musk was Trump’s largest political donor in the 2024 election and briefly served as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) a newly created agency tasked with cutting bureaucratic waste.
Trump Threatens Contracts, Warns of ‘DOGE Monster’
Trump didn’t stop at deportation threats. He also hinted at targeting Musk’s government-backed ventures, including SpaceX, Starlink, and Tesla, all of which have benefited from billions in federal contracts and subsidies.
“We might have to put DOGE on Elon. You know what DOGE is? DOGE is the monster that might have to go back and eat Elon,” Trump said cryptically.
Tesla stock fell more than 6% in early trading Tuesday following Trump’s remarks.
On Truth Social, Trump escalated further, suggesting that without U.S. support, Musk might have to “head back home to South Africa.”
“No more rocket launches, satellites, or electric car production — and our country would save a FORTUNE,” Trump wrote.
Musk Considers New Political Party: ‘America Party’
Musk has responded by intensifying his criticism of the spending bill and is now threatening to bankroll primary challenges against Republicans who back it.
“All I’m asking is that we don’t bankrupt America,” Musk posted on X, calling the bill “debt slavery.”
He has floated plans to launch a new political group dubbed the “America Party”, and claims that a recent X poll shows 80% of users support the move.
Musk’s criticism largely centers on the bill’s reduction of EV incentives and renewable energy investments areas that once had strong bipartisan support. According to Musk, Republicans are abandoning their fiscal principles and caving to political convenience.
“They ran on cutting spending, and now they’re writing blank checks,” he posted.
From MAGA Allies to Public Enemies
The clash comes just months after a very public show of unity. Musk appeared frequently beside Trump following his return to the presidency in January, often wearing MAGA hats and promoting Tesla vehicles during a backlash over workforce cuts at DOGE.
Their partnership came to an abrupt halt in May after Musk voiced strong opposition to the spending package and resigned from his government post.
Since then, Musk has reemerged as a vocal critic, accusing Trump of abandoning both the energy transition and fiscal discipline. With midterm elections looming in 2026, Musk’s threat to fund anti-incumbent campaigns could shake up the GOP establishment.
“VOX POPULI, VOX DEI,” Musk declared, echoing the results of his online poll. “The voice of the people is the voice of God.”
