The once-powerful alliance between President Donald Trump and tech billionaire Elon Musk has unraveled in dramatic fashion, with Musk publicly attacking Trump over his controversial “One Big Beautiful Bill.” Musk, the former head of the Department of Government Efficiency and the largest donor to Trump’s 2024 re-election campaign, claimed the president would have lost without his backing.
“Without me, Trump would have lost the election, Democrats would control the House, and Republicans would be 51-49 in the Senate,” Musk posted on his social media platform X, moments after Trump criticized him from the Oval Office. The president, speaking alongside German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, expressed disappointment in Musk’s recent statements and called his criticism unexpected.
The feud centers on the sweeping tax and spending legislation known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” which Musk branded a “disgusting abomination.”
The “One Big Beautiful Bill” is a flagship tax and spending legislation introduced by President Donald Trump in early 2025, aimed at streamlining federal programs, reshaping welfare benefits, and boosting infrastructure investment. Marketed by Trump as a transformative economic package, the bill includes sweeping changes such as corporate tax incentives, reductions in healthcare subsidies, and significant cuts to electric vehicle (EV) tax credits.
The bill, passed without Musk’s input according to his claims, reportedly rolls back electric vehicle (EV) tax credits and includes spending provisions that Musk said would significantly worsen the federal deficit.
In response, Musk slammed the process, stating, “The bill was never shown to me even once and was passed in the dead of night.” He accused the Trump administration of packing the bill with “a mountain of disgusting pork” and expressed disdain for how it was handled, despite his previous role in promoting fiscal efficiency.
Trump, meanwhile, defended the bill, asserting that it was necessary for America’s economic growth and that he “helped Elon a lot.” He also questioned whether their relationship could survive this political clash, noting, “Look, Elon and I had a great relationship. I don’t know if we will anymore.”
Musk’s financial role in Trump’s 2024 victory was significant. According to Federal Election Commission filings, he donated over $277 million to Trump-aligned political action committees, including $239 million to the America PAC, which funded voter outreach, ads, and rallies. He also contributed millions to the Senate Leadership Fund, MAHA Alliance PAC, and the controversial RBG PAC, which used the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s name in anti-abortion messaging, despite her known pro-choice stance.
His support peaked after Trump survived an assassination attempt in mid-2024, with Musk organizing rallies and aggressively campaigning for Trump’s re-election. His reward was a cabinet-level role focused on cutting federal waste—one he resigned from just a week before the feud exploded publicly.
The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” could add $2.4 trillion to the national deficit over the next decade and result in nearly 11 million Americans losing health coverage. The EV sector, championed by Musk through Tesla, is expected to take a direct hit due to reduced subsidies.
With both men now publicly trading blows, what was once seen as a powerhouse partnership of politics and tech has disintegrated into a high-profile feud. Whether this rift will impact Trump’s policy agenda or Musk’s influence in Washington remains to be seen.
