Donald Trump’s relationship with Elon Musk has soured. Initially, Trump admired Musk, but their relationship deteriorated after Musk openly criticized a significant tax-and-spending package proposed by the President, which is projected to increase the national debt by trillions.
Musk took aim at Republicans who supported the bill, prompting a response from Trump towards the billionaire born in South Africa.
Following Musk’s announcement over the weekend about forming his own political party, the “America Party,” Trump’s feelings shifted from love or hate to pity.
“I am saddened to watch Elon Musk go completely ‘off the rails,’ essentially becoming a TRAIN WRECK over the past five weeks,” Trump stated on Truth Social on Sunday.
Trump told reporters earlier, “I think it’s ridiculous to start a third party. We have a tremendous success with the Republican Party. The Democrats have lost their way, but it’s always been a two-party system, and I think starting a third party just adds to confusion… Third parties have never worked.” Regarding Musk, he added, “He can have fun with it, but I think it’s ridiculous.”
On Truth Social, Trump elaborated on his political analysis of third parties, writing, “They have never succeeded in the United States – The System seems not designed for them. The one thing Third Parties are good for is the creation of Complete and Total DISRUPTION & CHAOS, and we have enough of that with the Radical Left Democrats, who have lost their confidence and their minds! Republicans, on the other hand, are a smooth running ‘machine,’ that just passed the biggest Bill of its kind in the History of our Country.”
While opinions differ on Trump’s assessment of the Republican Party’s efficiency, experts generally agree that the American political system isn’t structured for third-party success. Challenges include institutional hurdles like ballot access, as well as political and financial obstacles, though the latter shouldn’t pose a problem for Musk.
Musk has indicated on X that his party will aim to elect lawmakers in the 2026 midterms who will act as “referees” in Congress. “One way to execute on this would be to laser-focus on just 2 or 3 Senate seats and 8 to 10 House districts. Given the razor-thin legislative margins, that would be enough to serve as the deciding vote on contentious laws, ensuring that they serve the true will of the people,” he stated. “Backing a candidate for president is not out of the question, but the focus for the next 12 months is on the House and the Senate,” he added later.
Responding to Trump, Musk questioned, “What’s Truth Social?”—referring to the platform Trump launched in 2021 as an alternative to Twitter (now X), which Musk acquired in 2022. Musk also implied Trump was afraid, quoting a line from Frank Herbert’s Dune: “Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little death that brings total Obliteration.”
Despite previously stating that “Elon puts the country long before his company” and suggesting Musk was qualified to lead the Department of Government Efficiency, Trump now insists Musk’s opposition to the ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ is driven by self-interest.
“It is a Great Bill but, unfortunately for Elon, it eliminates the ridiculous Electric Vehicle (EV) Mandate, which would have forced everyone to buy an Electric Car in a short period of time,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “I have been strongly opposed to that from the very beginning. People are now allowed to buy whatever they want – Gasoline Powered, Hybrids (which are doing very well), or New Technologies as they come about – No more EV Mandate. I have campaigned on this for two years and, quite honestly, when Elon gave me his total and unquestioned Endorsement, I asked him whether or not he knew that I was going to terminate the EV Mandate – It was in every speech I made, and in every conversation I had. He said he had no problems with that – I was very surprised!”
While a federal mandate to buy electric vehicles has never existed, Trump’s bill reduces incentives for electric-vehicle owners, which is projected to negatively affect Musk’s company, Tesla.
Musk maintains that his primary concern is the deficit. “What the heck was the point of @DOGE if he’s just going to increase the debt by $5 trillion??” he questioned Sunday. The non-partisan Committee for a Responsible Budget estimates that the ‘Big Beautiful Bill,’ as currently written, will add over $4 trillion to the national debt through 2034, and potentially $5.5 trillion if temporary provisions are made permanent.
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Trump also sought to contrast his own dedication to the nation with Musk’s perceived self-interest and obligations to his companies, including Tesla and SpaceX, by alluding to Jared Isaacman, a Musk associate whom Trump considered to lead NASA before withdrawing the nomination following his split with Musk.
“Additionally, Elon asked that one of his close friends run NASA and, while I thought his friend was very good, I was surprised to learn that he was a blue blooded Democrat, who had never contributed to a Republican before. Elon probably was, also. I also thought it inappropriate that a very close friend of Elon, who was in the Space Business, run NASA, when NASA is such a big part of Elon’s corporate life,” Trump concluded his Truth Social commentary. “My Number One charge is to protect the American Public!”
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