The Voice News: Washington, D.C. — In a dramatic escalation of a rapidly deteriorating alliance, President Donald Trump has warned tech magnate Elon Musk of “very serious consequences” if he moves forward with reportedly funding Democratic candidates who oppose Republican lawmakers backing the GOP’s flagship budget bill.
“If he does, he’ll have to pay the consequences,” Trump told NBC News in an exclusive phone interview on Saturday. Pressed for details on what those consequences might entail, the president declined to elaborate but reiterated, “He’ll have to pay very serious consequences if he does that.”
Breakdown of a Billionaire Bond
Once considered close political allies, Trump and Musk now appear locked in an all-out feud that has spilled into the public domain. Asked whether he hopes to repair the relationship, Trump answered flatly, “No.” When further questioned if the relationship was over, he responded, “I would assume so, yeah.”
Their falling out came after Musk criticized the GOP-backed “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” a sweeping economic package that passed the House last month. In response, Trump voiced his disappointment and accused Musk of turning against him despite benefiting from Trump’s support in the past.
“I’m very disappointed in Elon. I’ve helped Elon a lot,” Trump told reporters from the Oval Office on Thursday.
From Trusted Insider to Fierce Critic
Musk, who donated over $250 million to Trump’s 2024 campaign and was later appointed to lead the Department of Government Efficiency, publicly rebuked the president’s economic agenda this week. The billionaire entrepreneur launched a flurry of posts on X (formerly Twitter), including a now-deleted message calling for Trump’s impeachment and another claiming that the president’s tariff policies could drive the U.S. into a recession.
In a particularly inflammatory post, Musk also referenced Trump’s past ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein—an accusation Trump dismissed as “old news,” asserting, “Even Epstein’s lawyer said I had nothing to do with it.”
Trump Floats Retaliatory Measures
In a series of pointed posts on Truth Social, Trump hinted at retaliating by canceling lucrative federal contracts and subsidies enjoyed by Musk’s companies, SpaceX and Tesla.
“The easiest way to save money in our Budget—Billions and Billions of Dollars—is to terminate Elon’s Governmental Subsidies and Contracts,” Trump posted. “I was always surprised that Biden didn’t do it!”
Although Trump admitted he has not seriously considered such action yet, he emphasized, “I’d be allowed to do that.”
Trump also accused Musk of undermining the dignity of the presidency: “He’s very disrespectful. You could not disrespect the office of the President.”
Vice President Vance Responds
Vice President JD Vance addressed the feud during a podcast interview recorded Thursday and released Saturday. Speaking with comedian Theo Von on This Past Weekend, Vance characterized Musk’s actions as “nuclear” and suggested reconciliation may now be out of reach.
“I’m always going to be loyal to the president,” Vance said. “I hope eventually Elon comes back into the fold, but maybe that’s not possible now.”
Vance blamed Musk’s aggressive stance on frustration with the slow-moving, bureaucratic nature of Washington politics. “To go after the president like that—I think it’s a massive miscalculation,” he added.
A Clash with Far-Reaching Implications
The very public rupture between Trump and Musk—two of the most influential figures in American politics and business—comes at a crucial moment for the administration. Despite the turmoil, Trump expressed confidence that the controversial budget bill would pass the Senate before July 4.
“The Republican Party has never been this unified,” Trump declared. “In fact, more so now than it was three days ago.”
Still, the high-stakes clash may signal deeper fractures within Trump’s circle of allies and cast uncertainty over the future of tech-industry influence within his administration.
“I think it’s a shame that he’s so depressed and so heartbroken,” Trump said of Musk, ending the interview with a mix of scorn and sarcasm.