Trump Could Never Have Become President Without My Massive Funding” — Elon Musk
The long-standing relationship between President Donald Trump and Elon Musk took a dramatic and public turn on Thursday, as the two influential figures clashed openly. Trump expressed being "deeply disappointed" in Musk, while Musk countered by claiming that without his substantial financial backing, Trump could never have become President.
The Rift Over the Republicans’ “Big, Beautiful Bill”
The falling-out centers around the Republicans’ much-touted "Big, Beautiful Bill" — a trillion-dollar plan that includes massive tax cuts and hundreds of billions in spending reductions aimed at fulfilling Trump’s domestic agenda. Musk has publicly denounced the bill as "disgraceful" and "horrific junk."
According to the Congressional Budget Office on Wednesday, the bill is projected to increase the U.S. budget deficit by $2.4 trillion over the next ten years — a claim Trump and fellow Republicans deny.
Trump Criticizes Musk at White House
Speaking to reporters for the first time about Musk’s criticisms during a meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at the White House, Trump said:
“I had a great relationship with Elon. Whether I still do, I don’t know.”
He added that Musk was involved in the bill’s early discussions and raised no major objections — until the proposal to eliminate electric vehicle subsidies emerged, a move that would directly impact Tesla’s business. The bill seeks to roll back clean energy tax credits enacted under Biden-era climate and health legislation.
“I’m very disappointed in Elon. I helped him a lot,” said Trump.
“He’s done a good job and he’s worked hard.”
Trump added,
“Frankly, I think he misses the environment here. A lot of people who leave my administration end up loving it, while others become very hostile. It’s probably a case of ‘Trump Derangement Syndrome.’”
Musk’s Sharp Rebuttal
Musk responded swiftly on X (formerly Twitter), writing:
“Do whatever you want. Remove the EV/solar subsidies, but not touching oil & gas subsidies at all? (Totally unfair!!). This bill is filled with horrible pork!”
In another post, he claimed:
“I never even saw the bill. It was passed so quickly in the dead of night that no one in Congress had time to read it!”
Musk went further, asserting:
“Trump could never have won without me. The Democrats would’ve held the House, and Republicans would’ve been just 51-49 in the Senate. What ingratitude!”
Musk’s 2024 Contributions
It is worth noting that Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, spent nearly $277 million in support of Trump and the Republicans during the last election cycle.
Cracks in Republican Unity?
Musk’s opposition has raised questions about whether the Republicans can maintain unity around Trump’s core economic bill during his second term. For now, GOP leaders in Congress are continuing to push the legislation forward.
A meeting between Musk and House Speaker Mike Johnson is scheduled for Thursday to discuss the bill’s future.
