Elon Musk’s feud with President Donald Trump — and seemingly any congressional Republicans who support the president’s massive tax cuts and spending package — has reignited, with the tech billionaire threatening to launch a new political party, and Trump suggesting Musk could be punished for his opposition.
The dispute has laid bare not only the differences between the Republican president and one of his most vociferous one-time advocates, but also has reignited the possibility that the world’s richest man will — along with his billions — reenter the political spending arena.
Here’s a look at the latest in the Musk-Trump dispute:
Musk reenters the political fray
Musk — who spent at least $250 million supporting Trump in the 2024 presidential campaign as the main contributor to America PAC — said in May that he would likely spend “a lot less” on politics in the future. But his recent statements seem to indicate Musk might be rethinking that stance.
On Monday, the tech billionaire and former Department Of Government Efficiency chief lashed out multiple times at Republicans for backing Trump’s tax cuts bill, calling the GOP “the PORKY PIG PARTY!!” for including a provision that would raise the nation’s debt limit by $5 trillion and calling the bill “political suicide” for Republicans.
After a post pledging to work toward supporting primary challengers for members of Congress who backed the bill, Musk responded “I will” to a post in which former Michigan Rep. Justin Amash asked for Musk’s support of Rep. Thomas Massie. Trump and his aides are already targeting the Kentucky Republican for voting against the measure, launching a new super PAC devoted to defeating him.
Tuesday morning, Musk replied “You’re awesome” to an X post from Massie recirculating news coverage of Musk’s support of him.
Musk’s back and forth with Trump
Musk and Trump’s potent political alliance seemed to meet a dramatic end a month ago in an exchange of blistering epithets, with Trump threatening to go after Musk’s business interests, and Musk calling for Trump’s impeachment.
Much of it has boiled down to Musk’s criticism of the tax cuts and spending bill, which he has called a “disgusting abomination.” Both the House and Senate versions propose a dramatic rollback of the Biden-era green energy tax breaks for electric vehicles and related technologies.
Musk is the chief executive of Tesla, the nation’s largest electric vehicle manufacturer, and SpaceX, which has massive defense contracts.
Overnight, Trump posted on social media that Musk has long known of his opposition “against the EV Mandate,” which he called “ridiculous.” Saying that, without subsidies, the Tesla CEO “would probably have to close up shop and head back home to South Africa,” Trump suggested that “Perhaps we should have DOGE take a good, hard, look at this? BIG MONEY TO BE SAVED!!!”
Trump went further at the White House on Tuesday, responding, “I don’t know, I mean, we’ll have to take a look,” when asked by a reporter if he would consider deporting Musk.
“We might have to put DOGE on Elon,” Trump said, of the government-adjacent entity Musk once ran for him, slashing through federal agencies in a broad-based, cost-cutting spree. “You know what DOGE is. DOGE is the monster that might have to go back and eat Elon.”
A new political party?
Several times, Musk has suggested that a new political party is needed to encapsulate the viewpoints he argues aren’t represented by the GOP.
Overnight Monday, Musk reposted the results of an unscientific poll conducted through his X feed early last month, asking if the U.S. needs a political party “that actually represents the 80% in the middle?”
Monday afternoon, Musk suggested that the “America Party” would be formed if “this insane spending bill passes,” saying the U.S. “needs an alternative to the Democrat-Republican uniparty so that the people actually have a VOICE.”
Starting a new national party — which would be set head-to-head with existing major parties — has been done before, but recent efforts in that vein have struggled to catch on. Even without such an official effort, Musk’s financial backing could be a factor in upcoming races, should he choose to contribute to candidates, either directly or through his PAC.
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Darlene Superville contributed from Washington.
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Kinnard can be reached at http://x.com/MegKinnardAP
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