WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump and the world’s richest person, Elon Musk, are going head-to-head. Their confrontation has made it to global headlines as Trump threatens Elon Musk to stop funding Democratic candidates in the upcoming 2026 midterm elections. The development comes after both clash with each other over political issues. Trump said that Elon would face consequences for his actions if he were to back the democrats. However, he didn’t give the details of what the consequences would be.
Tesla’s CEO, who has donated hundreds of millions to Trump’s campaigns, leads several businesses that benefit from lucrative federal contracts. This connection is one of the key factors that observers believe could influence the ongoing dispute. Sources privy to the matter claim that Musk criticized Trump’s signature tax and spending legislation, describing it as an “abomination” and warned that it would increase the national deficit. Tensions further escalated when Musk referenced Trump’s past connections to the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. Musk later deleted a social media post that alleged Trump’s involvement with unreleased government files related to Epstein, following denials from Epstein’s legal team.
Despite significant calls from Trump’s advisers and prominent Republicans for reconciliation, the rift shows little to no sign of healing. When asked if his relationship with Musk was over, Trump replied, “I would assume so, yeah.” Vice President JD Vance described Elon Musk’s recent attacks as a “huge mistake” and expressed hope that Musk might eventually “come back into the fold.” However, he acknowledged that Musk had “gone so nuclear,” making that possibility unlikely.
Donald Trump clarified that the decision to deport Salvadoran immigrant Kilmar Abrego Garcia was made by the Department of Justice, not by him. Elon Musk, who briefly served as the head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), left the position after 129 days. He has expressed that he may support Democratic challengers to Republicans who backed Trump’s tax bill in the upcoming midterm elections, a stance that has further angered the former president..
