Musk-Trump Feud Escalates as Billionaire Threatens to Unseat Lawmakers Over Spending Bill
Quote from Lawyer on July 2, 2025, 9:13 amThe rift between tech billionaire Elon Musk and President Donald Trump deepened this week as Musk intensified his opposition to Trump's signature tax and spending legislation, dubbed the "One Big Beautiful Bill." Musk, the world's richest individual and former head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has vowed to fund primary challenges against Republican lawmakers who support the bill, accusing them of betraying their fiscal conservative promises. In response, Trump has threatened to investigate Musk's companies and even suggested deporting the South African-born entrepreneur, escalating a feud that has captivated political observers.
The controversy centers on a sprawling tax and spending package that forms the cornerstone of Trump's domestic agenda. The legislation aims to extend the president's 2017 tax cuts, estimated to cost $4.5 trillion, while increasing funding for border security, military spending, and mass deportation initiatives, including hiring 10,000 new Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. To offset these costs, the bill proposes cuts to social welfare programs like Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), alongside imposing new work requirements. The Congressional Budget Office projects the bill could add between $2.4 trillion and $3.3 trillion to the national debt over the next decade, a point Musk has seized upon in his criticism.
Musk, who spent nearly $300 million supporting Trump's 2024 re-election campaign, has called the bill "utterly insane and destructive," arguing it undermines the cost-cutting efforts he championed during his tenure at DOGE, which ended in May 2025. On Monday, as the Senate debated the bill in a marathon "vote-a-rama" session, Musk took to his social media platform X to denounce lawmakers who campaigned on reducing government spending but now back the legislation. "Every member of Congress who campaigned on reducing government spending and then immediately voted for the biggest debt increase in history should hang their heads in shame," he posted, promising to ensure their defeat in upcoming primaries "if it is the last thing I do on this Earth."
Musk's rhetoric grew sharper as he accused Republicans of supporting "debt slavery" and labeled the two major parties the "Porky Pig Party," suggesting they are indistinguishable in their fiscal irresponsibility. He even floated the idea of launching a new political party, the "America Party," if the bill passes, claiming it would give Americans a true voice outside the "Democrat-Republican uniparty." Musk's posts included support for fiscal conservative lawmakers like Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky, whom Trump has targeted for opposing the bill, promising to back Massie's re-election bid.
Trump, in turn, has not taken Musk's attacks lightly. On Tuesday morning, as he departed for a visit to a new migrant detention center in Florida, the president responded on his Truth Social platform, accusing Musk of benefiting from unprecedented government subsidies for his companies, Tesla and SpaceX, estimated at $38 billion. "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," Trump wrote. He suggested that DOGE, the agency Musk once led, should scrutinize these subsidies to save "big money." Trump also hinted at investigating Musk's immigration status as a naturalized U.S. citizen, a remark that drew sharp attention given Musk's long-standing presence in the U.S. business landscape.
The feud marks a dramatic shift from the close alliance the two men shared during Trump's campaign and early months in office. Musk's substantial financial support and role in DOGE had positioned him as a key advisor, but tensions over the spending bill surfaced in June when Musk initially called it a "disgusting abomination." A brief reconciliation followed, with Musk acknowledging some of his criticisms went "too far," but his renewed attacks this week signal a deeper fracture. The fallout has also impacted Tesla's market performance, with shares experiencing volatility that temporarily erased $150 billion in market value, though they have since stabilized.
Musk's opposition has found unlikely allies, including progressive lawmakers like Senator Elizabeth Warren, who wrote on X, "Hard to believe I'm siding with the guy who spent $300 million to get Trump elected, but he's not wrong." Warren criticized the bill for prioritizing tax breaks for billionaires and corporations over the needs of ordinary Americans. Conversely, Musk's stance has alienated some Republicans who view the bill as critical to Trump's agenda. Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina, who had initially supported Musk's warnings about the bill's impact on clean energy, faced Trump's ire before announcing he would not seek re-election.
The Senate's ongoing debate, expected to culminate by July 4, remains contentious, with Vice President JD Vance potentially casting a tie-breaking vote. Some Republicans, like Representatives Andy Harris of Maryland and Chip Roy of Texas, have expressed reservations about the bill's Medicaid cuts or its failure to reduce spending further, but the majority appear poised to support it. Musk's threats, backed by his immense wealth and political action committee, America PAC, which funneled $240 million into Trump's campaign, pose a significant challenge to party unity ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
As the clash unfolds, analysts see Musk's actions as a bold attempt to reshape the Republican Party or create a new political force. His call for an "America Party" and willingness to fund primary challengers signal a long-term strategy to influence U.S. politics, leveraging his financial clout and X platform's reach. For Trump, the feud represents a rare public challenge from a former ally, testing his ability to maintain control over a party increasingly divided over fiscal priorities. With the bill's fate hanging in the balance, the Musk-Trump saga underscores the high stakes of Washington's latest budget battle.
The rift between tech billionaire Elon Musk and President Donald Trump deepened this week as Musk intensified his opposition to Trump's signature tax and spending legislation, dubbed the "One Big Beautiful Bill." Musk, the world's richest individual and former head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has vowed to fund primary challenges against Republican lawmakers who support the bill, accusing them of betraying their fiscal conservative promises. In response, Trump has threatened to investigate Musk's companies and even suggested deporting the South African-born entrepreneur, escalating a feud that has captivated political observers.
The controversy centers on a sprawling tax and spending package that forms the cornerstone of Trump's domestic agenda. The legislation aims to extend the president's 2017 tax cuts, estimated to cost $4.5 trillion, while increasing funding for border security, military spending, and mass deportation initiatives, including hiring 10,000 new Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. To offset these costs, the bill proposes cuts to social welfare programs like Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), alongside imposing new work requirements. The Congressional Budget Office projects the bill could add between $2.4 trillion and $3.3 trillion to the national debt over the next decade, a point Musk has seized upon in his criticism.
Musk, who spent nearly $300 million supporting Trump's 2024 re-election campaign, has called the bill "utterly insane and destructive," arguing it undermines the cost-cutting efforts he championed during his tenure at DOGE, which ended in May 2025. On Monday, as the Senate debated the bill in a marathon "vote-a-rama" session, Musk took to his social media platform X to denounce lawmakers who campaigned on reducing government spending but now back the legislation. "Every member of Congress who campaigned on reducing government spending and then immediately voted for the biggest debt increase in history should hang their heads in shame," he posted, promising to ensure their defeat in upcoming primaries "if it is the last thing I do on this Earth."
Musk's rhetoric grew sharper as he accused Republicans of supporting "debt slavery" and labeled the two major parties the "Porky Pig Party," suggesting they are indistinguishable in their fiscal irresponsibility. He even floated the idea of launching a new political party, the "America Party," if the bill passes, claiming it would give Americans a true voice outside the "Democrat-Republican uniparty." Musk's posts included support for fiscal conservative lawmakers like Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky, whom Trump has targeted for opposing the bill, promising to back Massie's re-election bid.
Trump, in turn, has not taken Musk's attacks lightly. On Tuesday morning, as he departed for a visit to a new migrant detention center in Florida, the president responded on his Truth Social platform, accusing Musk of benefiting from unprecedented government subsidies for his companies, Tesla and SpaceX, estimated at $38 billion. "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," Trump wrote. He suggested that DOGE, the agency Musk once led, should scrutinize these subsidies to save "big money." Trump also hinted at investigating Musk's immigration status as a naturalized U.S. citizen, a remark that drew sharp attention given Musk's long-standing presence in the U.S. business landscape.
The feud marks a dramatic shift from the close alliance the two men shared during Trump's campaign and early months in office. Musk's substantial financial support and role in DOGE had positioned him as a key advisor, but tensions over the spending bill surfaced in June when Musk initially called it a "disgusting abomination." A brief reconciliation followed, with Musk acknowledging some of his criticisms went "too far," but his renewed attacks this week signal a deeper fracture. The fallout has also impacted Tesla's market performance, with shares experiencing volatility that temporarily erased $150 billion in market value, though they have since stabilized.
Musk's opposition has found unlikely allies, including progressive lawmakers like Senator Elizabeth Warren, who wrote on X, "Hard to believe I'm siding with the guy who spent $300 million to get Trump elected, but he's not wrong." Warren criticized the bill for prioritizing tax breaks for billionaires and corporations over the needs of ordinary Americans. Conversely, Musk's stance has alienated some Republicans who view the bill as critical to Trump's agenda. Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina, who had initially supported Musk's warnings about the bill's impact on clean energy, faced Trump's ire before announcing he would not seek re-election.
The Senate's ongoing debate, expected to culminate by July 4, remains contentious, with Vice President JD Vance potentially casting a tie-breaking vote. Some Republicans, like Representatives Andy Harris of Maryland and Chip Roy of Texas, have expressed reservations about the bill's Medicaid cuts or its failure to reduce spending further, but the majority appear poised to support it. Musk's threats, backed by his immense wealth and political action committee, America PAC, which funneled $240 million into Trump's campaign, pose a significant challenge to party unity ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
As the clash unfolds, analysts see Musk's actions as a bold attempt to reshape the Republican Party or create a new political force. His call for an "America Party" and willingness to fund primary challengers signal a long-term strategy to influence U.S. politics, leveraging his financial clout and X platform's reach. For Trump, the feud represents a rare public challenge from a former ally, testing his ability to maintain control over a party increasingly divided over fiscal priorities. With the bill's fate hanging in the balance, the Musk-Trump saga underscores the high stakes of Washington's latest budget battle.