It’s the kind of breakup that makes a messy Hollywood divorce look like a polite tea party. Honestly, if you’d told anyone back in 2024—when Elon Musk was jumping for joy on a stage in Butler, Pennsylvania—that he’d eventually be accusing Donald Trump of hiding the Epstein files, they’d have called you crazy. But here we are in 2026, and the dust is only just starting to settle on a political blow-up that basically redefined the term "ego clash."
To understand what is the trump musk feud about, you have to look at two men who both think they’re the smartest person in the room. They aren’t just powerful; they’re volatile. When Musk dumped over $290 million into Trump’s 2024 campaign, it looked like the start of a permanent alliance. Trump even called him "a new star" and handed him the keys to the newly minted Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). It was a bromance for the ages.
Then, the wheels came off.
The "Big Beautiful Bill" that Broke the Bromance
The honeymoon didn’t even last six months into the second term. In May 2025, Musk walked away from his role at DOGE. Why? Officially, it was because of his "Special Government Employee" status, which restricted him to 130 days of work. But the real reason was a massive legislative monster called the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB).
Musk, who had been obsessed with slashing the federal deficit, saw this bill as a betrayal. It was packed with spending—tax cuts, yes, but also green energy cuts and a whole lot of "pork" that made fiscal conservatives cringe. On June 3, 2025, Musk didn't hold back. He took to X and called the bill a "disgusting abomination."
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Trump, never one to take criticism lying down, fired back from the Oval Office. He told reporters he was "very disappointed" in Elon. He even suggested that Musk’s government contracts—the lifeblood of SpaceX—were on the chopping block. "The easiest way to save money," Trump posted on Truth Social, "is to terminate Elon's Governmental Subsidies."
That was the spark. The explosion followed.
When it Got Personal: Epstein and the "America Party"
The feud quickly devolved from a policy debate into a gutter fight. Musk, clearly stung by the threat to his businesses, did something nobody expected. He brought up Jeffrey Epstein.
In a series of posts that sent shockwaves through Washington, Musk claimed that the reason the Trump administration hadn't released all the Epstein files was because Trump himself was mentioned in them. It was a "scorched earth" tactic. At the same time, Musk began polling his followers about starting a third party—the "America Party"—with the express goal of primarying any Republican who voted for Trump's spending bill.
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For a few weeks in the summer of 2025, it was total war.
- Trump called Musk a "train wreck."
- Musk implied he’d actually tampered with votes in 2024 (though he later claimed he was joking).
- Trump told a crowd in Michigan that maybe Musk should "go back to where he came from."
It was chaotic. It was public. And for Tesla investors, it was a nightmare. Tesla stock plummeted as "Tesla Takedown" activists targeted showrooms, and Trump responded by turning the White House lawn into a literal car lot to prove he still liked the cars, even if he hated the man.
The Sudden Thaw: Why They Made Up (Sort Of)
So, how do two of the world’s biggest egos find their way back to a "lovely dinner" at Mar-a-Lago? It wasn't love. It was necessity.
By September 2025, both men realized they were hurting each other more than they were helping themselves. Musk was facing a massive backlash against Tesla, and Trump was dealing with a "GOP civil war" that threatened his legislative agenda. The turning point was the funeral of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The two men were seen sitting together, and the ice began to melt.
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By October, Trump was telling reporters on Air Force One that he’s "always liked Elon" and that Musk just had a "bad spell." Musk, for his part, deleted his most inflammatory posts and signaled he was back in the Republican fold.
What You Need to Know Now
As of early 2026, the feud is officially in "remission," but the scars are everywhere. Musk is back to funding the GOP for the midterms, and Trump is currently leaning on Musk’s Starlink to help with foreign policy issues in Iran.
- The Leverage is Real: Musk knows Trump needs his money and his tech (SpaceX/Starlink).
- The Grudge is Real, Too: Trump doesn't forget being called out on the Epstein files, and Musk doesn't forget his contracts being threatened.
- The Midterms are the Next Test: Watch how Musk spends his money in 2026. If he starts backing "America Party" style candidates against Trump-aligned Republicans, the war starts all over again.
If you’re watching this play out, don’t look at the tweets—look at the money. Keep an eye on SpaceX's federal contracts and whether the "America Party" actually files paperwork for the 2026 midterms. If those contracts stay intact and the third-party talk stays quiet, the truce is holding. If not, get the popcorn.
Actionable Insights for 2026
- Monitor Tesla’s "Political Risk" Rating: Financial analysts are now pricing in Musk’s personal feuds as a direct risk to Tesla (TSLA) stock stability.
- Track the 2026 Midterm Donors: Check FEC filings for America PAC to see if Musk is still "all-in" on the official GOP ticket or if he's funding disruptors.
- Watch Starlink Deployments: The U.S. government's reliance on SpaceX for foreign policy (like the current Iran situation) is the strongest "insurance policy" Musk has against another Trump fallout.