Trump Intensifies Feud with Elon Musk, Threatens Subsidies Amid Critical Senate Vote

WASHINGTON — The high-profile feud between President Donald Trump and tech mogul Elon Musk has escalated sharply, with Trump publicly threatening to direct the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to scrutinize Musk’s extensive government subsidies. The warning comes as the Senate continues to vote on amendments to a contentious GOP spending bill, which faces a self-imposed July 4 deadline.

In a post shortly after midnight, President Trump asserted that Musk receives “more subsidy than any human being in history,” suggesting that without such support, Musk’s businesses like SpaceX, Tesla, and others would falter. “Perhaps we should have DOGE take a good, hard, look at this?” Trump questioned, later adding, “DOGE is the monster that might have to go back and eat Elon.”

Musk, who recently left a special government employee post in May, responded to the president’s remarks on X (formerly Twitter) with a cryptic “So tempting to escalate this. So, so tempting. But I will refrain for now.” However, he subsequently criticized a provision in an earlier version of the GOP bill, calling it a potential enabler of “abuses of power” by the president. Musk has been a vocal critic of the “big, beautiful bill,” even suggesting the formation of a new political party if the legislation passes, citing concerns about national debt.

The renewed attacks from Trump highlight a significant downturn in what was once a close relationship, despite Musk reportedly spending an estimated $250 million to support Trump’s election. The President stated Tuesday morning that Musk was “very upset” about losing his EV mandate, warning he “could lose a lot more than that.”

Market reaction was immediate, with Tesla shares dropping 6% before the opening bell on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent appeared to downplay Musk’s criticism, stating, “I admire Elon’s leadership on rockets. I will take care of the finances.”

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates the Senate bill, if passed, would increase the national debt by $3.3 trillion over the next decade and could lead to nearly 12 million people losing health insurance due to Medicaid cuts. With slim margins in both chambers, Republicans are under pressure to pass the bill, which must clear the House again before reaching Trump’s desk.

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