Donald Trump said he was “disappointed” in Elon Musk’s conduct.
US President Donald Trump has declared that his relationship with billionaire Elon Musk is over, following weeks of tensions and public clashes over key policies.
When asked if he believed the pair’s once-close alliance had ended, Trump said:
“I would assume so, yeah.”
When asked if he wanted to repair the relationship, he replied simply: “No.”
The comments mark a sharp turning point in a relationship that once saw Musk serve in the White House and donate millions to Trump’s campaign.
The rift began after Musk openly criticised Trump’s flagship tax and spending bill, which has been central to the president’s economic agenda.
For weeks, Musk attacked the so-called “Big Beautiful Bill” as it made its way through Congress.
He argued the bill would add trillions to the national deficit and “undermine” the work of Doge, the Department of Government Efficiency, which he led for 129 days.
After resigning from Doge, Musk posted on his platform X that the bill was a “disgusting abomination”.
Though he avoided naming Trump directly at the time, the criticism was widely seen as a swipe at the president.
The feud escalated last week when Donald Trump said he was “disappointed” in Elon Musk’s conduct.
Musk fired back online, claiming Trump would have lost the election without his help.
He also suggested Trump was tied to Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced financier who died in jail. Musk later deleted the post. Epstein’s lawyer has denied the claim.
In response, Trump accused Musk of having “gone crazy” on Truth Social. He also warned that federal contracts linked to Musk could be under threat.
Vice President JD Vance defended Trump and condemned Musk’s remarks.
On a podcast, Vance said: “He’s gone so nuclear. It was a big mistake for the Tesla and SpaceX CEO to attack the president.”
Trump echoed the criticism, calling Musk “disrespectful to the office of the president”.
He added:
“I think it’s a very bad thing, because he’s very disrespectful. You could not disrespect the office of the president.”
The tension also appears to have political implications.
Musk, who donated around £185 million to Trump’s campaign, has hinted he may support some of Trump’s opponents in the upcoming midterm elections.
He said he might back challengers to Republicans who supported the tax bill.
Asked about the prospect of Musk supporting Democratic candidates, Donald Trump said he would face “serious consequences”.
The fallout has left the future of their political and personal relationship uncertain.
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