Trump Musk feud explodes with claim president is in Epstein files

[ad_1] A disagreement between Elon Musk and President Donald Trump erupted right into a full meltdown Thursday, with Musk slamming Trump for "ingratitude" over the 2024 election, agreeing with a name for his impeachment, slamming the president's signature laws and even claiming Trump was within the Epstein information.

Trump, talking on tv from the Oval Workplace, had stated he was "disillusioned" in Musk following his criticism Wednesday of his "large, stunning" megabill to fund his agenda, after which engaged in a mutual barrage of social media posts, at one level saying Musk had gone "CRAZY."

Because the exchanges grew progressively private, Musk posted, with out offering proof, about Trump and alleged intercourse trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, "Time to drop the actually large bomb: @realDonaldTrump is within the Epstein information. That's the actual cause they haven't been made public. Have a pleasant day, DJT!"

He adopted that up with one other publish, saying, "Mark this publish for the long run. The reality will come out."

Trump has beforehand posted, "I used to be by no means on Epstein's Aircraft, or at his 'silly' Island," and he has not publicly objected to the discharge of the information now below Justice Division evaluation.

Trump's earlier affiliation with Epstein and the looks of his identify in an deal with ebook and on flight logs of Epstein's planes has been broadly reported.

Epstein died by suicide in his jail cell in 2019.

The general public rift between Musk and Trump started in earnest with Musk's rampage in opposition to the president's home megabill. Musk takes concern with the invoice's price ticket and its estimated impression on the nationwide debt.

Talking to reporters on the White Home earlier on Thursday, Trump pushed again on Musk in intensive remarks.

"Look, Elon and I had a fantastic relationship. I do not know if we'll anymore," Trump stated.

Elon Musk attends a press convention within the Oval Workplace on the White Home in Washington, Could, 30, 2025 and President Donald Trump throughout a press convention within the Oval Workplace on the White Home in Washington, Could 30, 2025.

Francis Chung/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Musk responded in actual time to Trump's private feedback on X, swiping on the laws and at Trump straight.

At one level, Musk responded to a person: "With out me, Trump would have misplaced the election, Dems would management the Home and the Republicans can be 51-49 within the Senate."

"Such ingratitude," Musk added. Musk spent greater than $270 million to again Trump and different Republicans in the course of the 2024 election cycle.

Later, he reposted a remark calling for Trump's impeachment to get replaced by Vice President JD Vance. "Sure," Musk wrote in response to the concept.

The back-and-forth solely escalated because the day went on.

Trump countered on his personal conservative social media platform: "Elon was 'sporting skinny,' I requested him to depart, I took away his EV Mandate that compelled everybody to purchase Electrical Vehicles that no person else needed (that he knew for months I used to be going to do!), and he simply went CRAZY!"

Trump stated the "easiest method to economize" can be to "terminate Elon's governmental subsidies and contracts."

Musk went on to criticize not solely Trump's invoice but in addition his tariff coverage -- a cornerstone of the president's financial agenda and a decades-long political aim. He claimed on X that the tariffs would trigger a "recession within the second half of this 12 months."

Musk and Trump had not spoken as of Thursday morning, based on two sources conversant in the president's conversations.

A number of administration officers have tried to achieve out to Musk and his representatives personally, however their calls and texts haven't been returned, a number of sources inform ABC Information.

President Donald Trump speaks throughout a gathering with Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz within the Oval Workplace of the White Home, June 5, 2025, in Washington.

Evan Vucci/AP

The "One Huge Stunning Invoice Act" handed the Home final month by a single vote. The measure would prolong Trump's 2017 tax cuts and enhance spending for the navy and border safety, whereas making some cuts to Medicaid, SNAP and different help packages.

It now faces headwinds within the Senate, particularly amongst a small group of Republican fiscal hawks.

Musk has stated the the laws, estimated by the nonpartisan funds workplace so as to add $3 trillion to the deficit over the following decade, would undermine the Division of Authorities Effectivity's aim to scale back authorities spending and chip away on the nation's debt.

"The place is that this man right this moment??" Musk wrote as he reupped one other person's compilation of previous Trump tweets criticizing excessive deficits, unbalanced budgets and extra.

Musk made comparable feedback on X towards Senate Majority Chief John Thune and Home Speaker Mike Johnson.

Trump contended on Thursday that Musk, the CEO of Tesla, was actually "upset" as a result of the laws would take away tax credit for electrical automobiles.

Earlier than talking out publicly in opposition to the invoice, Musk personally pushed some lawmakers, together with Speaker Johnson, to maintain the tax credit for electrical automobiles within the invoice, based on two individuals conversant in conversations.

"I am very disillusioned as a result of Elon knew the interior workings of this invoice higher than nearly anyone sitting right here, higher than you individuals," Trump stated within the Oval Workplace on Thursday. "He knew the whole lot about it. He had no downside with it. Swiftly, he had an issue."

Musk pushed again on X and steered Trump was not telling the reality.

"False, this invoice was by no means proven to me even as soon as and was handed in the dark so quick that just about nobody in Congress may even learn it!" he wrote.

Elon Musk attends a press convention with President Donald Trump on the White Home in Washington, Could 30, 2025.

Allison Robbert/AFP by way of Getty Photographs

In one other publish, Musk wrote: "No matter."

"In the complete historical past of civilization, there has by no means been laws that each large and exquisite," Musk added. "Everybody is aware of this! Both you get a giant and ugly invoice or a slim and exquisite invoice. Slim and exquisite is the best way."