Trump and Musk in Stunning Public Divorce
When bromance meets budget cuts, the internet wins.
Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s unlikely bromance imploded spectacularly Thursday as the US president and his billionaire former aide publicly tore into each other in real time.
It began when Trump, in a televised Oval Office tirade, expressed his deep disappointment with Musk’s criticism of a “big, beautiful” spending bill before Congress. Trump threatened to cancel Musk’s multi-billion-dollar government contracts, sending shockwaves through Washington and Wall Street.
Musk didn’t stay silent. He fired back live, claiming Trump wouldn’t have won the 2024 election without him. On his social media platform X, Musk called Trump “ingrate” — and added that Trump “is in the Epstein files,” referencing government documents related to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.
The drama hit the markets hard. Tesla shares plunged 15%, wiping more than $100 billion off its value.
Speculation about how long this odd-couple alliance could last was answered during Trump’s rant: “I’m very disappointed in Elon. I’ve helped Elon a lot.” Speaking with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz watching, Trump said, “I don’t know if we will [have a relationship] anymore.”
Musk responded with rapid-fire posts, saying, “Without me, Trump would have lost the election. Dems would control the House and Republicans would be 51-49 in the Senate.” He added, “Such ingratitude.”
To stir the pot further, Musk polled followers on whether he should form a new political party — a potential threat to the GOP, despite his foreign birth barring him from the presidency.
Trump, on Truth Social, said Musk had gone “crazy” over plans to end electric vehicle subsidies and confirmed he had asked Musk to leave his controversial post heading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Trump hinted he might scrap Musk’s $18 billion government contracts: “The easiest way to save money in our Budget, Billions and Billions of Dollars, is to terminate Elon’s Governmental Subsidies and Contracts.”
Their flashy partnership — which saw Musk at the Oval Office with his son on his shoulders and flying aboard Air Force One — unraveled after just four months amid Washington infighting and disillusionment.
Amid the chaos, German Chancellor Merz quietly avoided the drama, letting Musk absorb Trump’s fire.
So, who won this public breakup? The businessman? The politician? Or the internet, feasting on every meme-worthy moment?
One thing’s clear: this saga of power, pride, and politics isn’t over — and it’s definitely entertaining.
Article By Suzy Nyongesa.
