Washington: Elon Musk has shocked the political world by asking President Donald Trump to be accused.
The head of multimillionaire technology made the demand after a fierce public row with Trump for the subsidies of government expenses and electric vehicles.
The two, once close, have now become rivals, and Musk says that Trump is no longer suitable for leading. The dispute was developed in real time on social networks, grabbing the headlines and tracheting markets.
The hostilities began when Trump criticized the CEO of Tesla Musk in the Oval office. In a matter of hours, the relationship once closed had disintegrated in full public vision, such as the most powerful man in the world and his richest personal spikes in the truth of Trump Social and Musk’s X.
“The easiest way to save money in our budget, billions and billions of dollars, is to rescind Elon’s subsidies and government contracts,” Trump published about Truth Social.
The Wall Street merchants showed actions to the Musk electric vehicle manufacturer, and Tesla closed 14.3%, losing around $ 150 billion in market value, its largest decrease of a single day.
Minutes after the closing bell, Musk responded “yes” to an X post suggesting that Trump should be accused. Trump Republicans currently control both Congress cameras, which makes the accusation unlikely.
The crack had been brewing for days, starting when Musk denounced the fiscal sweep and Trump’s expenditure bill. Initially, Trump remained silent while Musk campaigned to kill the bill, saying that the debt of $ 36.2 billion of $ 36.2 of the nation would worsen.
Trump finally broke his silence on Thursday, telling journalists in the oval office that he was “very disappointed” in Musk.
“Look, Elon and I had a great relationship. I don’t know if we’ll do it,” Trump said.
While Trump spoke, Musk shot increasingly acute posts in X.
“Without me, Trump would have lost the elections,” Musk wrote, who spent almost $ 300 million in Trump’s support and other Republicans in last year’s elections. “Such ingratitude.”
In another publication, Musk warned that Trump’s exclusive tariffs could take the United States to a recession at the end of this year.
Together with Tesla, Musk’s businesses include the rocket firm and government contractor Spacex and its Starlink satellite unit.
Musk, whose space company plays a fundamental role in the space program of the US Government, said it would begin to dismantle the Spacex Dragon spacecraft, the only American spacecraft currently capable of transporting astronauts to the International Space Station, in response to Trump’s threats.
Pugilistic couple
The dispute was not entirely unexpected. Trump and Musk are political pugilists with considerable egos and the habit of using social networks to return to critics, and many had predicted a fight.
Even before Musk left the administration last week, its influence had vanished after repeated clashes with the cabinet members about their aggressive cost reduction.
For Trump, this marks the first important break with a main advisor since his second term began, although his first term saw numerous dramatic exits.
Trump separated from multiple personnel leaders, national security advisors and political strategists between 2017 and 2021. Some, such as Steve Bannon, remained allied. Many others, such as Ambassador John Bolton, became vocal critics.
Musk became one of Trump’s most visible advisors after serving as the greatest republican donor in the 2024 campaign. As head of the Government’s efficiency department, Musk directed a radical and controversial effort to reduce federal workforce and cutting expense.
He was regularly seen in the White House and Capitol Hill, often with his little son in tow.
Only six days before Thursday’s bust, Trump and Musk made a joint appearance in the Oval office, praising the work of others and committing to continue working together.
But the dispute now threatens the Republican unit before the partial exams next year. Mass followers and Musk fund collection links with Silicon Valley could mean problems.
Musk has already said that he plans to reduce his political expenditure in the future.
Shortly after Trump’s comments, Musk published a survey to his 220 million followers in X:
“Is it time to create a new political party in the United States that actually represents 80% in the middle?”
‘Kill the bill’
Musk criticized Trump’s “great and beautiful bill” this week, calling him an “unpleasant abomination” that would make the globa of the federal deficit. His criticisms expanded the existing cracks in the Republican party that could sink the approval of the bill in the Senate.
Non -partisan analysts say the invoice could add $ 2.4 billion to $ 5 billion to the national debt of $ 36.2 billion.
Trump accused Musk of opposing the bill because it reduces the tax credits of electric vehicles. He also said Musk missed working in the White House.
“He is not the first,” Trump said. “People leave my administration … then at some point they miss it so much. Some accept it. Some become hostile.”
Musk wrote in X: “Kill the bill,” added that he could accept EV credits if Republicans eliminated the “mountain of disgusting meat” in the bill.
He also resurfaced Trump’s previous comments condemning the excessive expenditure of the government: “Where is this guy today?”
Musk entered the government promising to cut $ 2 billion from the budget. He had cut only half percent, while leaving chaos in his path.
His political change has caused protests at Tesla’s facilities in the United States and Europe, dragging sales and spitting investors that concern Musk is too distracted.
