Tensions between two of America’s most high-profile figures—President Donald Trump and tech mogul Elon Musk—have reached a boiling point. President Trump is now warning of what he calls “serious consequences” if Musk chooses to financially support Democratic candidates in the upcoming election cycle.
In a phone interview with NBC News on Saturday, President Trump didn’t mince words, stating, “If he does, he’ll have to pay the consequences for that.” While he did not elaborate on what those consequences might be, his remarks signal a deepening rift between the two former allies.
When asked if he had any intention of mending the relationship with the Tesla and SpaceX CEO, Trump replied bluntly, “I would assume so, yeah,” suggesting their once-close political partnership is now over for good. In a separate appearance on Fox News, the President reiterated that he has “no intention” of speaking with Musk again.
This comes as the feud between the two billionaires has escalated dramatically over the past week. The fallout began when Musk blasted Trump’s signature legislation—dubbed the “Big Beautiful Bill”—calling it an “outrageous, pork-filled abomination.” In a post on social platform X, Musk said, “Shame on those who voted for it. You know you did wrong.”
The clash intensified further when Musk posted and then deleted two inflammatory messages—one claiming Trump’s name appears in secret Jeffrey Epstein documents, and another agreeing with a call for Trump’s impeachment and suggesting Vice President J.D. Vance should take over. Those posts have since disappeared from Musk’s account, but not before triggering a firestorm of speculation and media attention.
Musk also criticized the spending bill for, quote, “more than defeating all the cost savings achieved by the DOGE team at great personal cost and risk.” The DOGE team refers to the Department of Government Efficiency, which Musk led during a brief stint in the Trump administration.
On Friday, Trump responded sharply, telling Fox anchor Bret Baier, “Elon’s totally lost it.” Later, he doubled down on Truth Social, writing, “I don’t mind Elon turning against me, but he should have done so months ago. This is one of the Greatest Bills ever presented to Congress.”
This unraveling relationship is especially notable considering their once strong alliance. Musk publicly endorsed Trump following an assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, and later accepted a role in Trump’s administration.
Now, with political tensions rising and campaign season in full swing, the former friendship appears to be over—and the war of words shows no sign of slowing down.
We will continue tracking this story as it develops.
Reporting by Katy Moore.
