In a dramatic escalation of tensions between U.S. President Donald Trump and tech billionaire Elon Musk, the president issued a public warning on Monday suggesting that Musk may need to “close up shop and move back to South Africa.”
The comment was posted on Trump’s social media platform, Truth Social, amid an ongoing feud over electric vehicle (EV) mandates and federal subsidies.
Trump criticized Musk for receiving what he claimed were the highest government subsidies in history, stating that without them, Musk would likely be forced to shut down his ventures in the U.S. “Elon Musk knew, long before he so strongly endorsed me for President, that I was strongly against the EV mandate,” Trump wrote. He added, “Electric cars are fine, but not everyone should be forced to own one.” Trump further suggested that eliminating government support for Musk’s companies could result in savings for the country, rhetorically asking if the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) should reevaluate such funding.
This confrontation follows Musk’s recent public denunciation of Trump’s flagship spending legislation, the so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill,” which Musk labeled a “disgusting abomination” due to its growing deficit and proposed cuts to EV tax credits. Musk’s criticism marked the beginning of a public fallout between the two, despite Musk’s previous endorsement and his appointment as head of DOGE.
The rift deepened after Musk floated the idea of launching a third political party—tentatively named the “America Party”—in response to growing public dissatisfaction with both Republicans and Democrats. He also accused Trump of ingratitude, asserting that his support was instrumental in Trump’s political success. The Tesla and SpaceX CEO even hinted at decommissioning NASA-used Dragon spacecrafts and momentarily alleged Trump’s name appeared in the Epstein files, a claim he later retracted.
As the feud continues to play out publicly, the relationship between the former allies—once symbolized by joint appearances at the White House—appears to have irreparably fractured.
