Even by the requirements of President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk’s relationship — an unprecedented alliance punctuated by a meme-inspired reshaping of the federal government, quite a few rocket launches, assassination makes an attempt, a quarter-billion-dollar political gamble and electrical automotive photo-ops — it has been an uncommon week.
For months, Musk had been the closest of Trump’s advisers — even residing at his Mar-a-Lago property in Florida and spending time with the president’s household.
Extra lately, Trump gave Musk a congratulatory Oval Workplace sendoff from his work main cost-cutting efforts in his administration, giving him a golden key with a White Home insignia.
However the billionaire’s muted criticisms of Trump’s “massive, lovely invoice” grew louder and extra pointed, culminating in posts Thursday on his social media platform taking credit score for Trump’s November win and Republicans’ takeover of the Senate.
“With out me, Trump would have misplaced the election, Dems would management the Home and the Republicans could be 51-49 within the Senate,” Musk posted. “Such ingratitude.”
Some lawmakers and Republicans fear Musk’s obvious acrimonious departure from Trump’s orbit may create new uncertainties for the get together — and stoke GOP divisions that may not serve Republicans nicely heading right into a important legislative stretch earlier than the midterm elections.
The back-and-forth assaults, which continued into the weekend and took a sharply private flip, reverberated throughout a capital they’ve each reshaped.
Trump on Friday advised a number of reporters over the cellphone that he was not desirous about Musk and advised ABC Information Chief Washington Correspondent Jonathan Karl that Musk had “misplaced his thoughts.”
Within the close to time period, Trump and the GOP are attempting to muscle their signature tax and domestic policy megabill by the Home and Senate, with the slimmest of margins and no scarcity of disagreements.
President Donald Trump and Elon Musk (R) converse within the Oval Workplace earlier than departing the White Home in Washington on the best way to Trump’s residence at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Seashore, Florida, March 14, 2025
Roberto Schmidt/AFP by way of Getty Pictures
Any shift on the important thing points may topple the high-wire act wanted to please Home and Senate Republicans.
A nonstop torrent of criticism from Musk’s social media megaphone may collapse negotiations, harden the place of the invoice’s critics and even undermine different items of Trump’s first-term agenda.
“You hate seeing division and chaos,” Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., who represents a swing district, advised ABC Information concerning the Trump-Musk fracas. “It is not useful.”
Rep. Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, the chairman of the Home Finances Committee, known as Musk a “credible voice” on “debt and spending” points.
“It is by no means useful when he says these issues. He is a plausible particular person and he has a broad attain, however I feel he is pissed off and other people perceive the context,” Arrington mentioned, predicting that each males will ultimately resolve their dispute.
Republican operatives watching the spat unfold this week advised ABC Information it’s too early to say how the feud between Trump and Musk may have an effect on the following election.
The billionaire spent greater than anybody else on the final election, pouring $270 million into teams boosting Trump and different Republicans up and down the poll, in line with Federal Election Fee filings.
Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk departs the White Home en path to the Capitol to attend President Donald Trump’s Joint Handle to Congress in Washington, March 4, 2025.
Roberto Schmidt/AFP by way of Getty Pictures, Information
He already advised he would in the reduction of on his political donations subsequent cycle, greater than a 12 months out from the midterm elections.
Within the last stretch of the 2024 race, he relocated to Pennsylvania, internet hosting city halls and bankrolling his own get-out-the-vote effort within the important swing state.
Since his foray into Washington, Musk has change into a deeply polarizing and unpopular determine, whereas the president’s approval rating has ticked up in some current surveys.
Teams affiliated with Musk spent $20 million this spring on the Wisconsin Supreme Courtroom race, just for the liberal candidate to win — signaling to some Republicans the bounds of Musk’s political pull.
Whereas his assist could also be missed by Republicans subsequent cycle, Trump has continued to lift tens of millions of {dollars} to assist his future political plans, a exceptional sum for a term-limited president that underscores his central position within the get together and undisputed kingmaker standing.
President Donald Trump leaves the Oval Workplace as he departs the White Home, June 6, 2025 in Washington.
Win McNamee/Getty Pictures
Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., who’s mulling a gubernatorial bid in 2026, downplayed the tensions or political implications, suggesting that reporters “spend far more time worrying about this stuff than most common folks.”
“I am positive they are going to make peace,” Lawler advised ABC Information on Friday.
There have been some indicators of a détente. Whereas Musk continued to hurl insults at Trump ally and critic Steve Bannon, his social media exercise appeared to chill off on Friday, and the billionaire mentioned one supporter was “not improper” for saying Trump and Musk are “a lot stronger collectively than aside.”
By way of almost a decade in politics and three campaigns for the White Home, Trump has demonstrated a exceptional capacity to maneuver previous disputes or disagreements with many intraparty rivals and onetime critics, together with some who now serve in his Cupboard.
Now, some Republicans left Washington this week asking themselves if Musk is prepared to do the identical.
