Trump’s warning to Elon Musk explained.
President Donald Trump just made it crystal clear—Elon Musk is no longer on his friend list.
Trump and Musk’s feud profiled.
Once political power-pals, the two billionaires are now locked in a simmering, very public feud that refuses to die.
The rift began after Musk ditched Trump’s administration and started torching Republican tax legislation.
That “big, beautiful bill” Trump keeps praising? Musk says it’s a disaster for American innovation.
And the bad blood hasn’t cooled—even as the bill makes its way through the Senate.
But here’s where it gets even messier—let’s rewind the tape on this high-stakes fallout.
Trump and Musk’s history chronicled.
Back in 2017, Musk sat on two Trump advisory councils—tech and manufacturing.
He was considered one of the few Silicon Valley figures brave (or bold) enough to work with Trump.
That all ended in 2017 when Trump pulled out of the Paris Climate Agreement.
Musk quit in protest, tweeting: “Climate change is real. Leaving Paris is not good for America or the world.”
But even post-breakup, the two shared a fragile detente—until Trump reemerged in 2023.
As Trump began flirting with another White House run, Musk started openly backing Republican alternatives like Ron DeSantis.
Trump responded in classic Trump fashion: by roasting Musk as a “phony” and “BS artist” at rallies.
Musk, never one to stay silent, fired back on X (formerly Twitter), saying Trump should “sail into the sunset.”
Now the temperature’s boiling again—with Trump pushing the nuclear button.
Trump’s thoughts on Musk departure revealed.
Asked flat-out if his bromance with Musk was officially over, Trump told NBC’s Kristen Welker: “I would assume so, yeah.”
The man didn’t stop there.
“I’m too busy doing other things,” Trump added, veering immediately into classic Trumpian bravado.
“You know, I won an election in a landslide,” he continued. “I gave him [Musk] a lot of breaks.”
Trump’s threat unveiled.
Trump even claimed he “saved [Musk’s] life” during his first term.
If Musk dares support Democratic candidates in 2025 and beyond? “He’ll have to pay the consequences,” Trump warned.
The president didn’t bother to explain what those “consequences” would be.
But let’s be clear: Musk’s empire relies heavily on federal contracts. And Trump knows it.
From SpaceX launches to Tesla subsidies, Musk’s business interests are deeply tied to government dollars.
Trump’s subtle message? Fund the other side, and you risk losing everything.
JD Vance, Trump’s running mate and current hype-man, took a softer tone.
“I hope that eventually Elon comes back into the fold,” Vance told reporters.
“Maybe that’s not possible now because he’s gone so nuclear.”
Trump’s warning shocks public.
“If he [Musk] gives to Democrats,” Trump said, “there will be very serious consequences.”
He refused to spell out what those would be—but added that cutting Musk’s government contracts would be “easy.”
One thing’s clear: for Elon Musk, playing both sides might soon come with a billion-dollar price tag.