Elon Musk hit again prolifically at President Trump on Thursday after Trump indicated his “disappointment” in his former adviser over criticism of his key home proposal.
Trump, sitting alongside German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s throughout an official go to, stated he was “very surprised” and “disappointed” by Musk’s harsh criticism of the president’s signature piece of laws working its manner by Congress and expressed uncertainty about the way forward for their relationship.
Musk, almost instantly after Trump’s made his televised remarks, responded on X.
“Whatever. Keep the EV/solar incentive cuts in the bill, even though no oil & gas subsidies are touched (very unfair!!), but ditch the MOUNTAIN of DISGUSTING PORK in the bill,” Musk stated.
“In the entire history of civilization, there has never been legislation that both big and beautiful. Everyone knows this! Either you get a big and ugly bill or a slim and beautiful bill. Slim and beautiful is the way,” the Tesla CEO continued.
Earlier Thursday, Musk started posting on the social media platform spotlight Trump’s earlier opposition to parts of the invoice that contain the debt ceiling.
“Wise words,” Musk wrote on his social media platform X atop a 2013 tweet during which Trump wrote that he was “embarrassed” by the GOP’s transfer to carry the debt ceiling.
Musk has since “pinned” the put up, making it the very first thing customers see on his web page.
“I couldn’t agree more,” Musk wrote in a follow-up put up, together with two American flag emoji, attaching a 2012 Trump tweet that stated members of Congress must be banned from looking for reelection “if our country’s budget is not balanced.”
Musk has been at odds with Republican leaders over Trump’s agenda-setting “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” that handed the Home final month, with the previous head of the White Home’s Division of Authorities Effectivity (DOGE) arguing that it does not do sufficient to chop spending.
The megabill is now up for overview within the Senate, the place it has confronted pushback from lawmakers on each side of the aisle.
Trump addressed their rising rift throughout an occasion on the Oval Workplace on Thursday as Musk was posting on social media.
“I’d rather have him criticize me than the bill, because the bill is incredible,” Trump instructed reporters. “Elon and I had a great relationship; I don’t know if we will anymore.”
He additionally knocked Musk’s look at his sendoff from the White Home final week.
“You saw a man who was very happy when he stood behind the Oval desk, and even with the black eye,” Trump stated of the bruise on Musk’s face Friday. “I said, ‘You want a little makeup? We’ll get you a little makeup.’ But he said, ‘No, I don’t think so,’ which is interesting.”
Trump famous that the invoice doesn’t embody subsidies for electrical autos, and Musk owns electrical automaker Tesla.
“You know, Elon is upset because we took EV mandate, which was a lot of money for electric vehicles, and, you know, they’re having a hard time, electric vehicles, and they want us to pay billions of dollars in subsidies,” Trump stated.
“I can understand why he’s upset,” the president added.
Up to date at 1:05 p.m.