Alliance or macho friendship, convergence of interests or mutual fascination: all of that is over. The unique relationship between Donald Trump and Elon Musk publicly imploded on Thursday, June 5, in a rare and violent war of words between two boundless egos, ending in threats. The CEO of SpaceX and Tesla was in the Oval Office just six days earlier, enjoying a kind of warm farewell gathering with the president. His official mission as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) was coming to a close. His companies, with Tesla among those struggling, demanded his full attention. That day, Dond Trump praised Musk's work and sacrifice in rooting out alleged waste and fraud within federal agencies.

But already, Musk's criticism of the president's flagship piece of legislation, the "Big Beautiful Bill," was sharpening. This spending package, which includes massive tax cuts and new resources for immigration policy, barely passed the House of Representatives and now faces scrutiny in the Senate. Some Republicans have expressed reservations, citing concerns over the rising national debt, which is already nearing $37 trillion.

You have 88.09% of this article left to read. The rest is for subscribers only.