A day after the White House held a farewell press conference for SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk to highlight his efforts as outgoing leader of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), President Donald Trump suddenly pulled Musk ally Jared Isaacman as his pick for NASA administrator.

While the White House released a May 30 video chronicling Musk’s contributions to DOGE and several X posts thanking him and listing various ‘DOGE wins,’ the gestures were some of the last, final public actions of goodwill between Trump and Musk. 

On Saturday, Trump announced in a social media post he was pulling the nomination for Isaacman, a commercial astronaut and founder and CEO of payment processing company Shift4 Payments after ‘a thorough review of prior associations.’ 

Trump also said he would unveil a ‘new Nominee who will be Mission aligned, and put America First in Space.’ 

Isaacman’s affiliations with Musk include being an investor in SpaceX, in addition to leading two private spaceflight missions with SpaceX, including Inspiration4. The 2021 Inspiration4 mission was the first time an all-civilian crew orbited Earth. 

Isaacman addressed his pulled nomination in an episode of the ‘All-In Podcast,’ which is hosted by four venture capitalists and covers business, technology and society, that dropped Wednesday. Specifically, Isaacman said he received a call from the White House May 30 notifying him his nomination wouldn’t advance because the White House had ‘decided to go in a different direction.’ 

Isaacman said he suspected his ties to Musk were part of the decision, noting the call came the same day Musk’s tenure with DOGE concluded. 

‘I don’t need to play dumb on this,’ Isaacman said in the podcast. ‘I don’t think that the timing was much of a coincidence, that there were other changes going on the same day.

‘There were some people that had some axes to grind, I guess, and I was a good, visible target.’ 

Tensions between Musk and Trump continued to escalate after Musk’s departure as a special government employee May 30 and Isaacman’s withdrawn nomination the following day. 

Although Musk previously told CBS News in an interview clip released May 27 that he was disappointed by the House’s passage of Trump’s massive tax and spending package, the ‘big, beautiful bill,’ because it would increase the federal deficit, Musk’s attacks on the measure ramped up exponentially after Trump rescinded Isaacman’s nomination. 

Specifically, on Tuesday, Musk labeled the measure a ‘disgusting abomination’ and followed up by urging the American public to contact lawmakers to ‘KILL the BILL’ in an X post Wednesday.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Tuesday that Trump was aware of Musk’s position on the bill and that it didn’t change the president’s stance on the measure. And Trump did not mince words Thursday as tensions between the two men reached a boiling point. 

Trump said Musk was irritated with provisions in the bill that would cut an electric vehicle tax credit that benefits companies like Tesla. He also suggested Musk may suffer from ‘Trump derangement syndrome,’ a term used to describe deeply negative reactions to the president. 

‘I’m very disappointed because Elon knew the inner workings of this bill better than almost anybody sitting here, better than you people,’ Trump said in the Oval Office during a meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. 

‘He knew everything about it. He had no problem with it. All of a sudden, he had a problem, and he only developed the problem when he found out that we’re going to have to cut the EV mandate because that’s billions and billions of dollars, and it really is unfair.’

Trump also specifically mentioned Isaacman’s nomination, claiming Musk recommended Isaacman for the role. But Trump voiced concern about Isaacman’s ties to the Democratic Party. 

‘He wanted and rightfully, you know, he recommended somebody that he, I guess, knew very well. I’m sure he respected him, but to run NASA,’ Trump told reporters Thursday. ‘And I didn’t think it was appropriate. And he happened to be a Democrat, like, totally Democrat. And I say, you know, look, we won. We get certain privileges. And one of the privileges is we don’t have to appoint a Democrat. NASA is very important.’

Trump then said he ‘understood’ why Musk was upset over the pulled nomination.

The White House directed Fox News Digital to Trump’s comments Thursday and Isaacman’s previous donations to Democrats, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York. 

Isaacman told the ‘All-In Podcast’ he doesn’t think his past political donations to Democrats were a factor in his pulled nomination, and that he identifies as ‘right-leaning.’ 

Isaacman and Musk did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. 

Trump and Musk continued to trade barbs Thursday. At one point, Musk urged the removal of the ‘disgusting pork’ included in Trump’s tax and spending bill. He also said it was ‘false’ that he was shown the measure ‘even once.’ 

Musk even went so far as to say Trump wouldn’t have won the 2024 election if it weren’t for Musk’s backing. Meanwhile, Trump accused Musk of going ‘CRAZY’ over cuts to the EV credits and said Musk was ‘wearing thin.’ 

Although Politico reported that Trump and Musk were slated to speak Friday over the phone, Trump shut down speculation of a call between the two. 

‘No. I won’t be speaking to him for a while I guess, but I wish him well,’ Trump said, according to CNN. 

 ‘I’m not even thinking about Elon. He’s got a problem. The poor guy’s got a problem,’ Trump said.

Despite Musk’s departure, White House officials have said DOGE’s efforts to address waste, fraud and abuse will continue, and Trump and cabinet members will oversee DOGE. The agency is expected to formally shut down July 4, 2026. 

The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday ruled the Department of Government Efficiency could access Social Security information.

The ruling blocked a lower court order that kept DOGE from seeking certain sensitive Social Security information. 

The information from the U.S. Social Security Administration includes Social Security numbers, medical information, citizenship records and tax returns. 

Three liberal justices dissented. 

The Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned some 35 individuals involved in laundering money for Iran on Friday as the administration seeks to make a deal with Iran over its nuclear weapons program.

A State Department spokesperson said in a statement that,’This network has laundered billions of dollars through Iranian exchange houses and foreign front companies to sustain Tehran’s campaigns of terror that undermine international peace and security and line the pockets of regime elites.’

Meanwhile, tensions with Iran continue, with the Associated Press reporting that Western powers are considering a resolution at the IAEA that would formally declare Tehran in non-compliance with its nuclear obligations.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi called the move a ‘strategic mistake’ and accused the U.K., France, and Germany of choosing ‘malign action’ over diplomacy. ‘Mark my words as Europe ponders another major strategic mistake: Iran will react strongly against any violation of its rights,’ he wrote on X.

The draft resolution, expected to be introduced next week, would mark the first time in two decades that Western nations bring such a motion against Iran at the IAEA. 

As U.S. and Iranian negotiators engage in fragile talks, voices from within Iran reveal a grim paradox: while many citizens desperately seek relief from crushing economic hardship, they fear any deal may only tighten the Islamic Republic’s grip on power.

‘Right now, people in Iran do not have any hope for anything,’ said a female journalist in Tehran, who spoke anonymously out of fear for her safety. ‘The economy is collapsing. We sometimes don’t have electricity or water. The value of the rial is falling. Life is becoming unlivable.’

Like many Iranians, she believes an agreement could temporarily ease inflation and halt the country’s economic freefall. But she—and many others—fear the unintended consequences. ‘If the regime reaches a deal, it could become more powerful and more confident in suppressing people. That’s what frightens us the most,’ she said.

Under Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran has faced growing unrest at home, triggered by economic pain, political repression, and widespread mistrust. As negotiations proceed, Iranian citizens are watching closely—but not with optimism.

‘People in Iran are caught in a dilemma,’ said another Tehran resident, a man who also requested anonymity. ‘On one hand, they want the regime to fall. On the other, the economic burden is so heavy that any deal offering relief feels like a lifeline. But the truth is, even if a deal is signed, ordinary people won’t benefit. We’ve seen this before.’

He pointed to the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the Obama-era nuclear agreement that promised economic benefits but, according to many Iranians, never delivered meaningful change for the public. ‘Only those connected to the regime gained anything,’ he said. ‘For the rest of us, life stayed the same.’

While Iranian leaders claim the nuclear program is peaceful, the U.S. and allies remain concerned about uranium enrichment levels nearing weapons-grade levels. Trump has demanded a full halt to enrichment, while Khamenei insists on retaining it. 

‘I’m a journalist, and we work under extreme censorship,’ said the woman in Tehran. ‘We’re not allowed to mention U.S. or Israeli military capabilities. We can’t publish anything about the talks without approval.’

She described a system where state censors dictate what reporters can and cannot say—down to the vocabulary. ‘It’s not just the content—it’s the individual words. And that makes journalism almost impossible.’

In the interviews with Fox News Digital, Iranians expressed deep skepticism that Khamenei would abide by any agreement. ‘He lies,’ the journalist said bluntly. ‘What he says publicly is never what he actually does. He manipulates both the public and foreign governments. No one should trust a dictator like him.’

The man echoed the sentiment. ‘The regime’s survival depends on its hostility toward the U.S. and Israel. If it truly committed to a deal, it would undermine its own ideological foundation. That’s why no one believes it can last.’

Recent months have seen a resurgence of protest activity in Iran, including a growing nationwide strike by truck drivers demanding fair wages and lower fuel prices. Though largely ignored by international media, these strikes follow years of widespread protests—most notably the 2022 ‘Woman, Life, Freedom’ uprising sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini in morality police custody. 

That movement, along with economic demonstrations in 2019 and 2021, was met with violent crackdowns, mass arrests, and internet blackouts. The pattern has left Iranians wary that any sign of instability is met with brutal suppression.

An Iranian student pointed to the truckers’ strikes currently roiling parts of Iran as a sign of grassroots unrest. ‘These strikes are a direct message from the people,’ he said. ‘They’ve been largely ignored by the media, but they are powerful and legitimate. This is how change begins—if it’s allowed to.’

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The ongoing feud between President Donald Trump and Elon Musk, his one-time ‘special government employee,’ has brought an ‘unprecedented’ dynamic compared to other famous disputes, long-time Democratic political strategist and Fox News contributor Jacques DeGraff said.

After somewhat muted rumblings from Musk about why he opposed a Trump-endorsed Republican spending package, the DOGE leader launched complaints after Trump began firing back this week, including threats aimed at Musk’s business revenue.

‘It’s unprecedented, but the reality is that what makes it a singular moment in history is that no single figure has ever been able to say, ‘I made a president and then (fell) out with that individual,’ DeGraff told Fox News Digital Friday. 

‘There have been groups, there have been individuals who wanted to pretend that they did, but the record is clear. And, I mean, this man (Elon) brought his son into the Oval Office. He wore a hat and didn’t wear a suit to the Oval Office. He clearly had carte blanche. … The president, in effect, did a Tesla ad in the Rose Garden … and now they’ve fallen out in life.’ 

DeGraffe, who has been a political advocate and strategist for years, quipped that, ordinarily, ‘we would have to go to family court,’ adding ‘what’s the court here?’ 

Trump is no stranger to quarrels with his staff. During his first term, his relationship soured with his National Security Advisor, John Bolton, and his press secretary, Anthony Scaramucci, after they diverged on different issues and publicly criticized Trump. 

But, for DeGraffe at least, this quarrel has ‘distinguished itself from anything in the past.’ 

One major difference he pointed to is the implications for both parties in this spat.

‘Tesla stock has dropped $150 billion, Trump stock has dropped but it also occurs at the same time as this legislation and so that is going to have – no matter how it turns out – it’s going to have massive political and public policy implications for the country,’ DeGraffe said. ‘So this is no small dispute.’ 

DeGraffe also contended that this is ‘the first time’ there has been a major deviation from Trump ‘from the MAGA side of the aisle.’ He suggested the split could be bad news for Trump and others who hope to see the GOP’s budget package pass the finish line in its current form.

‘This major split will allow other players to take positions other than the party line, and it gives them room and comfort and cover in order to do so,’ DeGraffe suggested. ‘Will senators who follow Musk, or, better yet, disagree with Musk, face intensely funded primaries?

‘That’s a consideration that everyone involved will have to take. … As a lifelong Democrat, I’m sitting with my bowl of popcorn saying, ‘Go at it.’ Because anything that slows this horrific legislation has got to be good news to the rest of the country.’

However, while DeGraffe sees the Trump-Musk feud as having wide-ranging and lasting implications, GOP political strategist Dallas Woodhouse says he thinks the feud is unimportant to most Republicans.

‘I am currently at the North Carolina State GOP convention, and this is not a topic of concern among activists,’ Woodhouse said. ‘No doubt it makes for funny and entertaining X posts, but the GOP faithful are laser-focused on growing the new diverse GOP/Trump winning coalition.’

The Transportation Security Administration clarified this week that a Costco membership card is not sufficient to present at airport security. 

‘We love hotdogs & rotisserie chickens as much as the next person but please stop telling people their Costco card counts as a REAL ID because it absolutely does not,’ the TSA wrote on Facebook Wednesday. 

The reminder comes less than a month after the U.S. began requiring a REAL ID driver’s license when flying domestically May 7. 

Aside from REAL IDs, which have enhanced federal standards, domestic flyers can also use their passports or another federally-approved form of identification like Defense Department-issued IDs (but not a Costco card). 

‘Department of Defense IDs for active and retired military continue to be an acceptable form of ID at TSA checkpoints following the implementation of REAL ID last month,’ the TSA wrote on Facebook Thursday. 

REAL IDs were available for years before the requirement went into effect after a 2005 law passed based on recommendations from the 9/11 Commission report. 

With many procrastinating until shortly before the deadline, DMV centers were inundated with long lines in April and early May, and there was confusion about what forms of identification, such as a passport, birth certificate or Social Security card, were acceptable at a DMV to secure a REAL ID. 

President Donald Trump told reporters on Air Force One Friday that Chinese President Xi Jinping had agreed to start sending rare earth minerals to the U.S. after halting the shipments in April.

Trump held a gaggle on the presidential jet Friday evening, and one reporter asked him just before landing if Xi had agreed to restart the flow of rare earth minerals and magnets to the U.S.

‘Yes, he did,’ Trump replied. ‘We’re very far advanced on the China deal.’

The news comes about a month and a half after China effectively halted exports of seven precious minerals, vital for assembling cars, robotics and defense systems, to the U.S. in a direct strike on America’s manufacturing and defense supply chain.

Overseas deliveries of magnets stopped April 4, when new licensing rules took effect, according to The New York Times. Companies are only allowed to export rare earth materials if they obtain special export licenses, which take 45 days to receive.

The halt also threatened to undercut Trump’s tariff strategy because China produces about 60% of the world’s critical mineral supply and processes even more, up to 90%.

China’s mineral halt to the U.S. Defense Department came after Beijing had already imposed sanctions on multiple U.S. military contractors late last year, according to Reuters. Chinese entities were prohibited from engaging or cooperating with them in response to an arms sale to Taiwan, the outlet reported.

Trump and Xi had a lengthy call Thursday amid economic and national security friction regarding trade between the U.S. and China.

‘I just concluded a very good phone call with President Xi, of China, discussing some of the intricacies of our recently made, and agreed to, Trade Deal,’ Trump said Thursday in a Truth Social post. ‘The call lasted approximately one and a half hours and resulted in a very positive conclusion for both Countries.’

Trump said the conversation focused mostly on trade.

The call came nearly a week after Trump condemned China for violating an initial trade agreement that the U.S. and China hashed out in May and a day after Trump said Xi was ‘extremely hard to make a deal with’ in a Truth Social post. 

Fox News’ Diana Stancy, Bonny Chu, Danielle Wallace, Morgan Phillips and Reuters contributed to this report.

Elon Musk’s fiery feud with President Donald Trump spilled onto the top Republicans in Congress, where the tech billionaire questioned if their zeal to cut spending had disappeared. 

Musk launched into a social media assault this week against Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill,’ and accused Republicans of crafting a ‘disgusting abomination’ full of wasteful spending. 

What started as a rant against the bill turned into pointed attacks against Trump, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., and House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. 

The tech billionaire and former head of Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) lamented the bill as not cutting deep enough into Washington’s spending addiction. The House GOP’s offering, which is now being modified in the Senate, set a goal of $1.5 trillion in spending cuts. 

Musk set a benchmark of finding $2 trillion in waste, fraud and abuse to slash with his DOGE initiative, but fell far short, hitting only $160 billion in his four-month stint as a special government employee. 

Still, he came with receipts, questioning whether Trump, Thune and Johnson were actually committed to making deep cuts. 

Below are moments from the campaign trail and recent months compiled by Fox News Digital where the trio affirmed their commitment to putting a dent in the nation’s nearly $37 trillion debt. 

Trump on the trail in 2024: ‘We will stop wasteful spending’

A common theme for Trump during his 2024 presidential campaign was to go after the Biden administration, and his opponent, former Vice President Kamala Harris, for ‘throwing billions of dollars out the window.’ 

The then-presidential candidate vowed that should he win a second term, his incoming administration would halt wasteful spending. 

‘We will stop wasteful spending and big government special interest giveaways, and finally stand up for the American taxpayer, which hasn’t happened since I was president,’ he said. ‘We stood up. Our current massive deficits will be reduced to practically nothing. Our country will be powered by growth. Our country, will be powered by growth, will pay off our debt, will have all this income coming in.’

Thune renews promise to cut spending with Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’: ‘It does everything we set out to do’

Thune has agreed with his colleagues in the House GOP that the tax cut package needs to achieve steep savings, and believes that the Senate GOP could take those cuts a step further. After the bill advanced from the House last month, the top Senate Republican re-upped his vow to slash federal funding. 

‘It does everything that we set out to do. It modernizes our military, secures our border, extends tax relief and makes permanent tax relief that will lead to economic growth and better jobs in this country, and makes America energy dominant, coupled with the biggest spending reduction in American history,’ he said. ‘So those are our agenda items, and that’s what we campaigned on. That’s what we’re going to do.’

Johnson after the House’s passage of the budget plan: ‘What you’re going to see is a continuing theme of us identifying waste, fraud and abuse in government’

Johnson had to strike a balancing act in the House to cobble together enough support behind the legislation, and struck deals and satisfied concerned lawmakers across the spectrum of the House GOP while still setting a goal of $1.5 trillion in spending cuts. Rooting out waste, fraud and abuse has been a continued mantra of the speaker and his allies. 

‘I said this is the beginning of a process, and what you’re going to see is a continuing theme of us identifying waste, fraud and abuse in government, which is our pledge of common sense, restoring common sense and fiscal sanity,’ Johnson said.  

Medicaid reform in President Donald Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’ has drawn a partisan line through Congress. 

Democrats have railed against potential Medicaid cuts since Trump was elected, while Republicans have celebrated Medicaid reform through the reconciliation process as an efficient way to eliminate waste, fraud and abuse in the welfare program. 

Fox News Digital asked lawmakers from both ends of the political spectrum to react to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act’s Medicaid reform. The results were as expectedly divided. 

‘This is all B.S., what the Democrats are doing,’ Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., told Fox News Digital. ‘They’re pushing the agenda that we’re cutting 10 million people off Medicaid. It’s people that actually shouldn’t be on it, illegals that shouldn’t be on it. We’re reforming it.’

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO), a nonpartisan federal agency that has been ridiculed by Republicans, estimated this week that Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’ would leave 10.9 million people without health insurance, including 1.4 million who are in the country without legal status in state-funded programs.

But Republicans are holding firm in their defense of Medicaid reform, which Republicans say only cuts benefits to illegal immigrants, those ineligible to receive benefits who are currently receiving benefits, duplicate enrollees in one or more states and those who are able but choosing not to work. 

‘The people who would not continue to get Medicaid benefits under this bill were not qualified to get them in the first place,’ Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., told Fox News Digital. 

Democrats continue to sound off on the healthcare threat of eliminating 10 million people from Medicaid. Not a single House Democrat voted to pass Trump’s championed legislation, which includes fulfilling key campaign promises like cutting taxes, immigration reform and American energy production. 

‘These burdensome regulatory requirements for proving that somebody has obtained or sought work are going to mean millions of people will go without healthcare, and the restrictions on food assistance are equally an obstacle to people meeting their everyday needs,’ Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said. 

Blumenthal added he is ‘very, very concerned about these seemingly cruel and unproductive ways of raising money simply to finance tax cuts’ for ‘wealthy billionaires.’

New Jersey Democratic Sen. Andy Kim said he is happy to have an ‘honest conversation’ about government efficiency and saving taxpayer dollars, but that’s not the reality of this bill. 

‘People are struggling, and I feel like, in the richest, most powerful country in the world, we should be able to make sure that people can have the basic needs they need to be able to survive,’ Kim said of Medicaid and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. 

Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., told Fox News Digital there is ‘nothing beautiful’ about Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill.’

‘This is horrific, and it adds massive amounts to our debt, compromising our ability to [fund] the fundamentals in the future, foundations for families to thrive — health care, housing, education, good-paying jobs. That’s what we should be doing here, not doing massive tax cuts for billionaires and paying for them by tearing down programs for ordinary families,’ Merkley said. 

The national debt stands at more than $36.2 trillion as of June 5, according to the Fox Business, based on data from the Treasury Department.

The CBO’s report this week also estimated Trump’s bill will cut taxes by $3.7 trillion while raising deficits by $2.4 trillion over a decade. 

Fox News’ Anders Hagstrom and Eric Revell contributed to this report. 

The fallout between Elon Musk and President Donald Trump is an evolving situation marked by a public blowup on Thursday, but their relationship ties back to Trump’s first term and even earlier.

A November 2016 CNBC interview with the Tesla CEO, who’s now the richest man in the world, took a critical tone of the now president just days before he was elected president in an upset that signified the strength of the populist movement. 

‘Honestly, I think Hillary’s economic policies and her environmental policies particularly are the right ones, you know, but yeah. Also, I don’t think this is the finest moment in our democracy at all,’ Musk said.

‘Well, I feel a bit stronger that probably he’s not the right guy. He just doesn’t seem to have the sort of character that reflects well on the United States,’ he later added in the interview.  

During Trump’s first term, Musk was part of some of his economic advisory councils, which often includes CEOs, but ultimately left his post because he disagreed with the president’s move to exit the Paris Climate Accords.

‘Am departing presidential councils. Climate change is real. Leaving Paris is not good for America or the world,’ Musk posted at the time.

The two continued to have an on-and-off relationship, but there were some positive signs in May 2020.

‘Elon Musk, congratulations.  Congratulations, Elon. Thanks, Elon. For Elon and 8,000 SpaceX employees, today is the fulfillment of a dream almost two decades in the making,’ Trump said at the Kennedy Space Center in May 2020.

And at the SpaceX Demo-2 launch, Trump said he and Musk communicate regularly.

‘Well, I won’t get into it.  But, yeah — but I speak to him all the time.  Great guy.  He’s one of our great brains.  We like great brains.  And Elon has done a fantastic job,’ he said.

Fast forward to 2022, when Musk purchased Twitter and renamed it X, and brought back Trump’s account that November, after it was suspended after the events of Jan. 6, 2021. In 2022, Musk also announced that he would vote Republican, but indicated he would back Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis if he opted to seek the nomination.

DeSantis launched his campaign on X in a ‘space,’ a virtual public event forum, with Musk, who also reportedly significantly financially backed the Florida governor, according to The Wall Street Journal.

However, a major turning point was in July 2024, after the assassination attempt of Trump at a rally in Butler, Penn.

‘I fully endorse President Trump and hope for his rapid recovery,’ Musk posted.

Musk then campaigned for the president, including a famous moment when he was jumping on stage at his comeback rally in Butler.

‘I want to say what an honor it is to be here and, you know, the true test of someone’s character is how they behave under fire, right?’ Musk said at the rally. ‘And we had one president who couldn’t climb a flight of stairs and another who was fist pumping after getting shot.’

‘This is no ordinary election,’ the tech CEO continued. ‘The other side wants to take away your freedom of speech.’

‘Just be a pest to everyone,’ he added. ‘You know, people on the street everywhere: Vote, vote, vote!’

The tech billionaire spent roughly $300 million through America PAC to boost swing state voter efforts, including Pennsylvania. 

By the time the presidential election rolled around, Trump and Musk appeared to be close friends as the Tesla CEO was with Trump in Mar-a-Lago on election night. Over the next few days, Musk remained in Florida and was reportedly advising Trump on appointments and policy as the transition to a new administration kicked off. 

A week later, shortly before Musk and the new president appeared at a SpaceX launch together in Texas, Trump announced that Musk and tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy would be heading up the Department of Government Efficiency in an effort to rid the government of waste, fraud, and abuse. 

Trump described the pair as ‘two wonderful Americans’ and although Ramaswamy left that post in January and is now running for governor in Ohio, Musk stayed on and quickly became the face of an agency that made him the main target of attacks from Democrats pushing back on spending cuts that they argued were too drastic.

Protests erupted nationwide against Musk and DOGE including violent outbursts at his Tesla dealerships that tanked the company’s stock and were labeled as acts of ‘domestic terrorism’ by the Justice Department. 

During the first few months of the year, Musk and Trump were spotted together at several viral events including a UFC fight, an Oval Office meeting where Musk’s son ‘Little X’ stole the show, and a cabinet meeting in late February where Musk was the main focus. 

In March, Trump hosted Elon at a Tesla showcase in front of the White House amid a dip in Tesla stock where the president told reporters he was purchasing a Tesla while touting the company.

As Musk’s time at DOGE began to wind down, his employee classification allowed him to serve for 130 days, the newly formed agency had become the poster child of anti-Trump sentiment from Democrats who consistently attacked the $175 billion in spending cuts that DOGE estimated it delivered.

Signs of fracture in the relationship began showing in late May when Musk took a public shot at Trump’s ‘big beautiful bill’ as it made its way through Congress. 

‘I was disappointed to see the massive spending bill, frankly, which increases the budget deficit, not just decreases it, and undermines the work that the DOGE team is doing,’ Musk said.

Two days later, Musk announced his official departure from DOGE.

‘As my scheduled time as a Special Government Employee comes to an end, I would like to thank President @realDonaldTrump for the opportunity to reduce wasteful spending,’ Musk said, adding that the effects of DOGE ‘will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government.’

DOGE, which fell short of Musk’s initial goal of slashing $1 trillion in spending which Musk said he still remains optimistic will happen in the future, will continue its work without Musk, who said, ‘I look forward to continuing to be a friend and adviser to the president.’

That optimistic tone shifted drastically on June 3 when Musk took to X, the platform he owns, and blasted the budget reconciliation bill calling it ‘a disgusting abomination’ and criticizing the Republicans who voted for it. 

‘KILL THE BILL,’ Musk said the next day.

A day after that, on Thursday, the feud hit a fever pitch.

While speaking with reporters in the Oval Office, Trump said that he was ‘very disappointed’ by Musk’s vocal criticisms of the bill. The president claimed that Musk knew what was in the bill and ‘had no problem’ with it until the EV incentives had to be cut.

On X, Musk called that assessment ‘false.’

Trump turned to social media to criticize Musk, who he appointed to find ways to cut $2 trillion after forming the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

‘Elon was ‘wearing thin,’ I asked him to leave, I took away his EV Mandate that forced everyone to buy Electric Cars that nobody else wanted (that he knew for months I was going to do!), and he just went CRAZY!’ Trump said in one post.

In another post, Trump said, ‘I don’t mind Elon turning against me, but he should have done so months ago. This is one of the Greatest Bills ever presented to Congress. It’s a Record Cut in Expenses, $1.6 Trillion Dollars, and the Biggest Tax Cut ever given.’

‘If this Bill doesn’t pass, there will be a 68% tax increase, and things far worse than that. I didn’t create this mess, I’m just here to FIX IT. This puts our Country on a Path of Greatness. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!’

At one point, Musk referenced late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein in relation to Trump as part of the larger tirade in a comment that several Republicans told Fox News Digital went ‘too far.’

Other posts from Musk included a claim that Trump would not have won the election without his help while accusing Trump of ‘ingratitude.’ In another post, Musk suggested that Trump should be impeached and replaced by Vice President Vance. 

It is unclear if a resolution to the feud is coming in the next few days. Fox News Digital reported on Friday morning that Musk wants to speak to Trump and that White House aides could possibly broker a meeting.

Trump told Fox News on Friday that he isn’t interested in talking to Musk, adding that ‘Elon’s totally lost it.’

Trump also said to Fox News’ Bret Baier that he isn’t worried about Musk’s suggestion to form a new political party, citing favorable polls and strong support from Republicans on Capitol Hill.