Elon Musk's recent departure from the Trump administration has ignited a fierce feud between the tech billionaire and the former president. Just a week ago, Musk, wearing a shirt that read "The Dogefather," received a golden key to the White House from Donald Trump. This gesture was described by Trump as a gift for "very special people." Musk's 130-day tenure at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) came to an end, with Trump praising his contributions as "without comparison in modern history."

However, the camaraderie quickly soured. In a series of posts on his social media platform X, Musk accused Trump of being "in the Epstein files" and claimed that he had influenced Trump's 2024 presidential victory. Musk expressed his feelings of betrayal, stating, "Such ingratitude." Trump's response was swift; he threatened to terminate Musk's government contracts, which led to a 14% drop in Tesla's stock price by the end of the trading day. The rift appears to have been exacerbated by disagreements over Trump's proposed "Big Beautiful Bill."

Musk's relationship with Trump has been complex. Initially, Musk supported Hillary Clinton during the 2016 election, openly criticizing Trump. He stated, "He’s not the right guy. He doesn’t seem to have the sort of character that reflects well on the United States." Despite this, Trump appointed Musk to his Strategic and Policy Forum shortly after taking office. However, Musk left the administration in 2017 after Trump withdrew from the Paris Climate Accords, stating, "Climate change is real. Leaving Paris is not good for America or the world."

In 2022, Musk began to shift his political stance, announcing on Twitter that he could no longer support the Democratic Party, which he accused of becoming "the party of division & hate." He encouraged independent voters to support Republican candidates, including Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, during the 2024 primaries. However, after DeSantis struggled to gain traction, Musk's support for Trump resurfaced.

The turning point in their relationship came on July 13, 2024, when Musk publicly endorsed Trump following an assassination attempt on the candidate. Musk quickly joined Trump on the campaign trail, reportedly spending $288 million to support Trump and other Republican candidates. He also pledged to give away $1 million daily to swing state voters who signed a petition from his political action committee.

After Trump's election victory, he appointed Musk to lead DOGE, an initiative aimed at cutting government waste. Musk's leadership saw significant reductions in federal agencies and staff, but it also drew public backlash against him and his companies. Protests against Tesla erupted globally, leading to attacks on dealerships and a decline in stock prices. Trump defended Musk, showcasing Tesla vehicles at a White House press conference.

Despite their close association, tensions remained. Musk publicly clashed with Trump's trade adviser, Peter Navarro, calling him a "moron" during a dispute over automotive tariffs. In May 2025, Musk's time at DOGE officially ended after reaching the maximum days allowed for government service. During his tenure, DOGE claimed to have saved $180 billion, far short of its $1 trillion goal.

The feud escalated further when Musk criticized Trump's spending bill, labeling it a "disgusting abomination" on social media. Trump countered by asserting that Musk was aware of the bill's details and had no issues with it until after his departure. Musk quickly refuted this, claiming he had never seen the bill. The back-and-forth continued, with Musk asserting that without his influence, Trump would have lost the election.

As the conflict intensified, Trump stated he was no longer interested in discussing Musk, remarking, "I’m not even thinking about Elon. He’s got a problem, the poor guy’s got a problem." The fallout from this once-promising partnership highlights the volatility of political alliances in the current landscape.