The once-strong alliance between U.S. President Donald Trump and billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk has dramatically unraveled, culminating in a public feud over government spending and contracts [1][2]. The dispute, which played out on social media platforms on June 5, 2025, marks a stark reversal from their recent collaboration in the White House.

The conflict erupted after Musk, who recently stepped down from his role in the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), publicly criticized Trump's signature tax and spending legislation, dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill' [12][28]. In response, Trump expressed disappointment in Musk during a White House meeting with Germany's new leader [1].

'I'm very disappointed in Musk,' Trump stated in the Oval Office. 'I've helped Elon a lot.' [2]

The situation escalated rapidly, with Trump threatening to terminate Musk's government contracts and subsidies. On his social media platform Truth Social, Trump wrote, 'The easiest way to save money in our Budget, Billions and Billions of Dollars, is to terminate Elon's Governmental Subsidies and Contracts.' [20]

Musk, in turn, made a series of provocative claims on his platform X, including an unsubstantiated allegation that Trump's name appears in unreleased files related to Jeffrey Epstein [8]. He also called for Trump's impeachment, suggesting Vice President J.D. Vance should take over [14].

'Time to drop the really big bomb: @realDonaldTrump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public,' Musk posted [8].

The public spat comes less than a week after Musk's departure from his government role, where he had been tasked with reducing wasteful spending [12]. During his tenure, Musk had been a significant supporter of Trump, reportedly donating over $200 million to pro-Trump super PACs during the 2024 election [26].

The feud has potential implications beyond personal disagreements. Trump's threat to cut government contracts could affect Musk's companies, including SpaceX and Starlink, which have significant dealings with the U.S. government [4].

As the situation continues to develop, political analysts are closely watching how this high-profile falling out might impact both Trump's legislative agenda and Musk's business interests [27]. The dispute also raises questions about the stability of political alliances and the influence of business leaders in government affairs.