President Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s fighting over the “big, beautiful” domestic policy bill has returned to the spotlight, with the president telling reporters on Tuesday that “we’ll have to take a look” into deporting the billionaire.
He also proposed targeting Musk via the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), saying, “We might have to put DOGE on Elon. You know what DOGE is? DOGE is the monster that might have to go back and eat Elon.”
Musk has been a longtime critic of Trump’s budget bill, which he says he opposes because it will increase the budget deficit. However, a proposed removal of EV tax credits that help Tesla, where Musk is CEO, likely plays a role.
After the pair traded insults in early June, both had retreated from publicly squabbling, and Musk deleted some of his posts on X — another of his companies — that linked Trump to Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender.
Then, on Monday evening, as the US Senate worked through a “vote-a-rama” in an attempt to pass the bill, Musk started posting on X again. He reiterated a threat to primary politicians who support the bill and said, “If this insane spending bill passes, the America Party will be formed the next day.” Trump posted a response on Truth Social, implying that DOGE (which Musk led before publicly stepping down in May) could cut subsidies for Musk’s companies. Without those subsidies, Trump said, “Elon would probably have to close up shop and head back home to South Africa.”
Trump’s full response, posted on Truth Social:
Elon Musk knew, long before he so strongly Endorsed me for President, that I was strongly against the EV Mandate. It is ridiculous, and was always a major part of my campaign. Electric cars are fine, but not everyone should be forced to own one. 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. No more Rocket launches, Satellites, or Electric Car Production, and our Country would save a FORTUNE. Perhaps we should have DOGE take a good, hard, look at this? BIG MONEY TO BE SAVED!!!
Musk responded on X to Trump’s comments, saying, “So tempting to escalate this. So, so tempting. But I will refrain for now.