Trump-Musk Feud Explodes: Billions at Stake, Accusations Fly

Trump-Musk Feud Erupts: Billions in Contracts and Tax Cuts at Stake Tensions between former President Donald Trump and tech mogul Elon Musk escalated dramatically on Thursday. The conflict began with Musk's public criticism of Trump's signature tax and spending bill, which he labeled "the big ugly bill." Musk's criticism targeted the bill's potential to increase the federal deficit. Trump responded by threatening to terminate billions of dollars in government subsidies and contracts currently held by Musk's companies, including SpaceX. "The easiest way to save money in our Budget, Billions and Billions of Dollars, is to terminate Elon’s Governmental Subsidies and Contracts," Trump posted on Truth Social. Musk countered on X (formerly Twitter) with a statement that, without his support, Trump would have lost the election. He then added, "Such ingratitude." The exchange quickly became more personal, with Musk, without providing evidence, posting about Trump and the late Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted child sex offender. Musk's post stated, "Time to drop the really big bomb: @realDonaldTrump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public." Trump did not respond to these accusations. The White House is currently downplaying the conflict and attempting to de-escalate the situation. Aides insist Trump will shift his focus to passing his "big, beautiful" bill. However, Musk has stated that Trump should be impeached. This ongoing feud highlights the deep political divisions in the United States and the significant influence wielded by powerful individuals in both the political and technological realms.