Key points
- Without me, Trump would have lost the election: Elon Musk
- Trump accuses Musk of opposing bill because it did not benefit Tesla
- Tesla shares plummet by nearly 15pc
ISLAMABAD: Elon Musk has called for the impeachment of Donald Trump and mocked the former US president over his links to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, after Trump threatened to withdraw federal contracts and tax incentives for Musk’s companies.
This marked a dramatic breakdown in their previously cordial relationship, with the two exchanging a series of deeply personal insults via social media on Thursday, according to The Guardian.
What was once a mutually beneficial association between Trump and the world’s richest man rapidly descended into acrimony during a few extraordinary hours. The argument, fuelled by Musk’s criticism of a Republican spending bill, exploded online as both parties abandoned previous caution and launched direct attacks.
Epstein files
The most incendiary moment came when Musk claimed on X (formerly Twitter) that the Trump administration had not released the Epstein files because they implicated Trump himself.
Time to drop the really big bomb:@realDonaldTrump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public.
Have a nice day, DJT!
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 5, 2025
Musk later quote-posted a call for Trump’s removal and stated that Trump’s tariffs would lead the US into a recession.
“Time to drop the really big bomb: Donald Trump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public. Have a nice day, DJT!” Musk wrote after Trump threatened to withdraw subsidies from Musk’s firms, claiming it would save “billions”.
The bizarre clash underlined the transactional nature of their alliance, despite months of White House statements suggesting their bond was based on shared ideology, according to AFP.
Adding to the drama, right-wing commentator Ashley St Clair—who recently gave birth to Musk’s 14th known child and is suing him for child support—chimed in with a jab at Trump: “Let me know if u need any breakup advice,” she posted on X.
hey @realDonaldTrump lmk if u need any breakup advice
— Ashley St. Clair (@stclairashley) June 5, 2025
Plummeting Tesla shares
Tesla shares plummeted nearly 15 per cent on Thursday afternoon, with the downturn coinciding with Trump’s remarks. While SpaceX, Musk’s aerospace company, is not publicly traded, shares in rival firms surged in response.
Musk has been vocally critical of the budget proposal for weeks. Citing the Congressional Budget Office’s projection that the bill would add $2.4 trillion to the national deficit over a decade, he described the legislation as a “disgusting abomination”.
Trump appeared to lose patience on Thursday. Speaking from the Oval Office with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz observing with apparent disbelief, Trump mocked Musk’s recent black eye and questioned why he had not concealed it with makeup.
“You saw a man who was very happy when he stood behind the Oval desk. Even with a black eye. I said, do you want a little makeup? He said, “No, I don’t think so. Which is interesting,” Trump remarked. “Elon and I had a great relationship. I don’t know if we will anymore.”
Opposing the bill
Trump went on to accuse Musk of opposing the bill purely because it did not benefit Tesla. He also withdrew his nomination of Musk’s preferred candidate for NASA administrator.
“I’m very disappointed with Elon,” Trump added. “He had no problem with it. All of a sudden he had a problem, and he only developed the problem when he found out we’re going to cut the EV mandate.”
Musk responded almost instantly on X, accusing Trump of lying about the bill and being ungrateful for the financial support Musk provided during the 2020 campaign.
False, this bill was never shown to me even once and was passed in the dead of night so fast that almost no one in Congress could even read it! https://t.co/V4ztekqd4g
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 5, 2025
“Without me, Trump would have lost the election, Dems would control the House and the Republicans would be 51-49 in the Senate,” Musk posted. “Such ingratitude.”
Election campaign
Musk’s claim of being instrumental in Trump’s 2020 election campaign stirred further friction, as Trump had previously asserted that Musk’s support had no bearing on his win in key states like Pennsylvania.
Trump retaliated by posting on Truth Social that he had dismissed Musk as a special adviser, claiming Musk’s usefulness in the White House had “worn thin”. Musk quickly rebutted: “Such an obvious lie. So sad.”
Not long after, Musk posted his explosive Epstein accusation, insinuating that Trump was involved in Epstein’s alleged child abuse network. The tweet appeared to be aimed at triggering MAGA supporters to turn against Trump, according to BBC.
Musk’s photograph
Musk notably omitted reference to his own tenuous links with Epstein. In 2014, Musk—like Trump—was photographed at a gathering with Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s former partner who was later convicted for aiding his sex-trafficking operations.
The public fallout comes after an unlikely alliance that lasted longer than many within Capitol Hill or Trump’s inner circle had anticipated.
Musk reportedly spent hundreds of millions on Trump’s 2020 re-election effort via his America PAC, which helped finance ground-level campaigning. However, the actual impact of this support remains unclear.
