Sandpit politics is rarely edifying and grown toddlers taking their fists to each other is unlikely to interest. But when they feature US President Donald Trump and the world’s wealthiest man, the picture alters. Disputes are bound to be on scale, rippling in their consequences.
No crystal ball was required regarding the eventual sundering of the relationship between Trump and Elon Musk. Here were noisy, brash egos who had formed a rancid union in American politics, with Musk lending his resources and public machinery to The Donald knowing he could also have sway in the Trump administration as a “special government employee.” That sway took the form of DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency), a crude attempt to right the wrongs of misspending in government while politicising the public service. Awaking from a narcotised daze, Musk decided to focus on his floundering companies, notably Tesla, and step back from the inferno. In doing so, he expected “to remain a friend and adviser, and if there’s anything the president wants me to do, I’m at this service.” Gazing at the raging inferno that is Trumpian policy, that convivial attitude has all but evaporated.
For one thing, Trump’s proposed tax breaks and increases in defence spending, espoused in his One Big Beautiful Bill Act, seemed to undermine the very premise of DOGE and its zealous mission of reducing government spending. The legislation promises to slash $1.5 trillion in government spending but increase the debt limit by $4 trillion. “I was disappointed to see the massive spending bill, frankly,” Musk said in an interview with CBS Sunday Morning last month. Such a plan merely inflated, not reduced, the budget deficit. “I think a bill can be big or beautiful. I don’t know if it can be both.”
This month, Musk got even tetchier. His temper had frayed. “I’m sorry, I just can’t stand it anymore,” he barked on his X platform on June 3. “This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination.” He continued to heap shame on members of Congress “who voted for it: you know you did wrong. You know it.”
On June 5, Trump expressed his disappointment “because Elon knew the inner workings of this bill”, leaving open the possibility that the billionaire might be suffering from “Trump derangement syndrome.” Musk had “only developed the problem when he found out that we’re going to have to cut the [electric vehicle] mandate.”
A blow was in the offing, coming in the form of a post on Truth Social: “The easiest way to save money in our Budget, Billions and Billions of dollars, is to terminate Elon’s Governmental Subsidies and Contracts. I was always surprised Biden didn’t do it!” Musk’s embittered retort: “Such an obvious lie. So sad.” He also proposed, in light of the President’s announcement, the decommissioning of Space X’s Dragon spacecraft, vehicles used by NASA to transport astronauts to and from the International Space Station. The ripples were finally getting violent.
Musk then decided to do what he called dropping “the really big bomb.” Trump, he revealed,“is in the Epstein files. This is the real reason they have not been made public.” Given Musk’s estranged relationship with reality and its facets, this can only be taken at face value. It’s a matter of record that Trump, along with a fat who’s who of power, knew the late Jeffrey Epstein, financier and convicted sex offender, for many years.
The trove of government documents known as The Epstein Files has offered the easily titillated some manna but, thus far, few bombs. On February 27, US Attorney General Pamela Bondi released what were described as the “first phase” of files relating to the financier and “his exploitation of over 250 underage girls at his homes in New York and Florida, among other locations.” In an interview with Fox News on February 21, Bondi revealed that Epstein’s client list lay “on my desk right now.”
Trump’s response to Musk’s latest gobbet of accusation proved almost melancholic. “I don’t mind Elon turning against me, but he should have done so months ago.” He went on to praise “one of the Greatest Bills ever presented to Congress.”
In characteristically bratty fashion, Musk went on to share a post agreeing with the proposition that Trump be impeached and replaced by the Vice President, J.D. Vance, advocate “a new political party in America that actually represents the 80% in the middle” (a touching billionaire’s wish), and predict “a recession in the second half of this year” caused by Trump’s global tariff regime.
In the scheme of things, Trump has survived impeachments, prosecutions, litigation, crowned by a divided US electorate that gave him a majority in both the Electoral College and the popular vote. Like a Teflon coated mafia don, he has made compromising people a minor art. Musk, compromised in his support and having second thoughts, can only go noisily into the confused night.
Dear reader, we need your support
Independent sites such as The AIMN provide a platform for public interest journalists. From its humble beginning in January 2013, The AIMN has grown into one of the most trusted and popular independent media organisations.
One of the reasons we have succeeded has been due to the support we receive from our readers through their financial contributions.
With increasing costs to maintain The AIMN, we need this continued support.
Your donation – large or small – to help with the running costs of this site will be greatly appreciated.
You can donate through PayPal or credit card via the button below, or donate via bank transfer: BSB: 062500; A/c no: 10495969
We can but hope that the ocean of shit that the White House Don floats on, will be whipped into a maelstrom of unstoppable violence,from which no one escapes.
Gonna happen ,sooner or later.
The Epstein “revelation” is anything but. And the MAGAts either won’t believe it or don’t care.
Now the Mango Mussolini is talking about how good it would be for the national budget to cancel all LoneSkum’s contracts. He’s right, but he needs to remember all the data-dumping the DOGEbros did. They have all the dirty laundry there is and now there’s no reason for them to keep it quiet.
We all know Trump is in the Epstein files. Why else would he refuse to release them?
If Musk thinks this is a “really big bomb” he hasn’t been paying attention.
He could also reduce the government debt by keeping his Mars dreams and his self imploding rockets private. In his own greedy hands and not take money from the poorest people in the country just to get his jollys from watching stuff go “bang”
Trump is wilier than Musk.
Musk will get there; the years will pass.
Of course,it might just be a stunt, with Musk drawing attention away from criticism of Trump on an austerity package.
Perhaps Musk is right in one area- porkbarrelling. America is the home of pork barrelling. Musk has apparently been left out of the party on some aspects-no doubt, more to come.
It appears that Tesla shares are in free-fall at mo. Elon Musk needs to go back to his companies and sort out the issues there, for his own sake.
The latest:
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
NYT says that last year, Musk’s companies (mostly SpaceX) were promised $3 billion across nearly 100 different contracts with 17 federal agencies. With Trump threatening to cancel them, stock in Musk’s competitors is rising today as quickly as Musk’s is tanking.
The Hill is reporting that Musk posted on X: “Is it time to create a new political party in America that actually represents the 80% in the middle.”
Musk attached a survey to his post that allowed users to vote “yes” or “no” on the idea of a third political party.
NYT is reporting that Steve Bannon is urging Trump to cancel all Musk contracts – AND revoke his security clearance – AND – investigate his immigration status, which he “strongly believes is illegal” – AND – start an investigation into his drug use. Oh. AND deport him.
Question – The DOGE hackers are loyal to Musk. Will Trump kick them out too? (Crossing fingers!)
CNBC is reporting that Musk just posted on X: “In light of the President’s statement about cancellation of my government contracts, @SpaceX will begin decommissioning its Dragon spacecraft immediately.”
That is the spacecraft used to carry astronauts and cargo to the International Space Station for NASA.
One is currently docked there – hopefully Musk won’t abandon the 4 astronauts there. Without Dragon, NASA would find itself in an immediate bind because it does not have any other readily available alternatives to carry astronauts, food or supplies to the space station.
AND – Elon Musk just agreed with another post saying that Trump should be impeached and JD Vance should replace him.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Trump is scheduled to host a Roundtable with the Fraternal Order of Police at 4pm ET. We will see how that goes – or IF it goes….
UPDATE: Trump showed up 10 minutes late, and is trying to look upbeat with Pam Bondi smiling beside him. He is reading from prepared notes… but when he goes off-script to add personal comments, he is sounding a bit…. bitter… He is using the opening to plug his Big Beautiful Bill, which he says is “doing nicely” but which is apparently looking dead in the Senate… Bondi is speaking now. Trump has closed his notebook and is definitely not engaged.
Strange – after the opening remarks, including the FOP’s gushing praise of Trump – the Live feed was CUT. The camera showed crazy angles – is Trump leaving?
Apparently so. The feud continues, with Trump on Truth Social, and Musk on X.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
It’s hard to keep up with it all.
That is a GEM of a post, Leefe.
One element does deserve comment and that is Musk’s alluding to Trump and Epstein, who may also have been a Mossad stooge.
So, therefore, Musk wan’t involved with Epstein’s nonsenses?
I’ll finish my own comments on this: Musk is criticising Trump for not being ruthless ENOUGH?
I really suspect a disconnect between Musk and us ordinary wage slaves, person on the street etc. Slow down fella, you have already made a motzah so understand how many ordinary folk will feel and how it will impact on your own businesses.
Or, are people MEANT to flock to Trump in response to a
new threat?