It was supposed to be the ultimate power alliance. The world's richest man and the world's most famous politician, side-by-side, redesigning the American government like a pair of high-stakes corporate raiders.
When Elon Musk hopped around on stage in Butler, Pennsylvania, wearing that "Dark MAGA" hat back in 2024, people thought we were entering a new era of "CEO-led" governance. He put nearly $277 million into the campaign. He spent nights at Mar-a-Lago. He even snagged a spot leading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Then, it all went sideways.
By mid-2025, the "First Buddy" was effectively "First Enemy." If you've been following the headlines, you've seen the sparks. But the musk trump business feud isn't just a clash of egos; it's a cold-blooded collision of two massive business empires that eventually found the room too small for both of them.
The "Big Beautiful Bill" That Broke the Bromance
The honeymoon didn't just end—it imploded on social media for the whole world to see.
The catalyst was something Trump called the "One Big Beautiful Bill" (OBBB). It was a massive piece of legislation designed to be the crown jewel of Trump's second term, packed with tax cuts and infrastructure spending. Musk, fresh out of his 130-day stint as a "special government employee" at DOGE, hated it. He called it a "disgusting abomination" on X.
He didn't stop there. He told his millions of followers to "KILL the BILL."
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Trump, never one to take criticism quietly, hit back where it hurts: the wallet. He took to Truth Social to claim Musk had gone "CRAZY" because the bill threatened to cut electric vehicle (EV) mandates. Basically, Trump suggested Musk's "principles" were actually just a play to protect Tesla's bottom line.
A Timeline of the Meltdown
- January 2025: Musk is appointed to co-lead DOGE. The duo is inseparable.
- March 2025: In a bizarre PR stunt, Trump buys a red Tesla Model S on the White House lawn to show support for Musk amid some early friction.
- May 2025: Musk hits his legal limit for government work days and exits the administration.
- June 3, 2025: Musk goes nuclear on the OBBB spending bill.
- June 6, 2025: Trump threatens to terminate all of Musk’s federal contracts and subsidies. Tesla stock drops 14% in a single day.
- July 2025: Musk floats the idea of the "America Party," a third-party political movement to challenge both major parties in 2028.
Why Truth Social and X Can’t Just Get Along
Underneath the political theater, there’s a massive conflict of interest. Both men own social media platforms.
For a while, it seemed like they could coexist. Musk reinstated Trump’s account on X (formerly Twitter) back in late 2022, but Trump mostly stayed on his own turf at Truth Social. However, when the feud heated up in June 2025, the competition became a zero-sum game.
Truth Social is essentially a "niche" platform compared to X, but it’s Trump's personal megaphone. When Trump started attacking Musk, Truth Social saw a fivefold increase in active users. At the same time, X saw a 54% spike in engagement from people watching the "billionaire brawl" unfold.
They weren't just fighting over policy; they were fighting for the same "Attention Economy" real estate.
The Nuclear Option: Epstein Files and Federal Contracts
The feud got personal—and weirdly dark—very fast.
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During the height of the spat in June 2025, Musk posted a series of cryptic allegations. He suggested that Trump was mentioned in the Epstein files and that this was the real reason the administration hadn't fully released them. This was a massive escalation. It wasn't about spending bills anymore; it was about character assassination.
Trump’s response was equally heavy-handed. He threatened to yank SpaceX's NASA contracts and investigate Musk’s immigration status. Steve Bannon even suggested the government should "seize SpaceX" by executive order.
Musk’s response to Bannon? He called him a "communist retard."
It was a mess. Tesla lost over $150 billion in market value in 48 hours. Musk himself saw his net worth swing by tens of billions. When you’re dealing with personalities this big, the collateral damage usually lands on the shareholders.
Is the Feud Actually Over?
By late 2025, things started to get weirdly quiet.
The two were spotted shaking hands at a memorial service in Arizona in September. By January 2026, Musk was posting photos of a "lovely dinner" at Mar-a-Lago with the President. He even tweeted that "2026 is going to be amazing!"
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So, did they make up? Sorta.
In reality, they both realized they need each other. Trump needs Musk’s technological reach and the massive "America PAC" funding for the upcoming midterms. Musk needs the federal government to keep buying SpaceX rockets and Starlink subscriptions. It’s less of a "friendship" now and more of a mutually assured survival pact.
What Most People Get Wrong
Most people think this was a fight about the national debt. Honestly, it was more about who gets to be the "Main Character" of America. Trump views himself as the ultimate boss; Musk views himself as the guy who fixes the boss’s broken systems. Those two roles can't exist in the same room for long.
Lessons from the Billionaire Brawl
If you're an investor or just a political junkie, there are a few key takeaways from the musk trump business feud:
- Regulatory Risk is Real: When a CEO gets this involved in politics, the company’s stock becomes a "political derivative." Tesla’s 14% drop in June 2025 proves that a single tweet from the White House can be more dangerous than a bad earnings report.
- The "Platform Wars" are Permanent: Even when they’re "friends," Truth Social and X are competitors. Watch for how Trump uses X versus Truth Social during the 2026 election cycle.
- Subsidies are the Ultimate Lever: Trump’s threat to cut EV mandates and SpaceX contracts showed exactly where Musk is vulnerable. No matter how many rockets he launches, he still operates in a world controlled by the person in the Oval Office.
Next Steps for You
If you’re holding Tesla stock or following the 2026 political landscape, keep a close eye on the DOGE savings reports. If Musk starts criticizing government spending again, expect the "Mar-a-Lago peace treaty" to crumble.
You should also set alerts for any news regarding Starlink federal grants. That’s the next big battleground where Trump's Commerce Department could either hand Musk a win or cut him off entirely to favor land-based competitors.
The drama isn't gone; it's just in a commercial break.