President Trump threatened Tuesday to sic the Department of Government Efficiency on its former leader, Elon Musk, after the billionaire businessman denounced Mr. Trump’s “one big, beautiful bill” tax cut and spending package.
Mr. Trump warned that Mr. Musk had a lot to lose in government assistance if he didn’t cool his criticism, saying Mr. Musk’s endeavors get “a lot of subsidies.”
“DOGE is the monster that might have to go back and eat Elon,” Mr. Trump told reporters Tuesday morning when asked about the latest dust-up between the two men.
That followed a social media slam Monday in which Mr. Trump said Mr. Musk is angry over the loss of electric-vehicle mandates in the budget bill.
“Elon Musk knew, long before he so strongly Endorsed me for President, that I was strongly against the EV Mandate. It is ridiculous, and was always a major part of my campaign,” the president said in a post on social media.
“Electric cars are fine, but not everyone should be forced to own one. Elon may get more subsidy than any human being in history, by far, and without subsidies, Elon would probably have to close up shop and head back home to South Africa,” Mr. Trump said.
He added, “No more Rocket launches, Satellites, or Electric Car Production, and our Country would save a FORTUNE.”
Mr. Musk, on X, wrote, “What’s the point of a debt ceiling if we keep raising it?”
He added, “All I’m asking is that we don’t bankrupt America.”
The tech billionaire has vowed to campaign against any lawmaker who votes for the legislation.
“Every member of Congress who campaigned on reducing government spending and then immediately voted for the biggest debt increase in history should hang their head in shame,” he said. “And they will lose their primary next year if it is the last thing I do on this earth.”
Mr. Trump and Mr. Musk kicked off the year as close allies when Mr. Musk was a special government employee leading DOGE, which embarked on a cost-cutting crusade across the federal bureaucracy.
However, following Mr. Musk’s departure from the cost-cutting government department in May, their relationship dimmed over differences in their stances about government debt, and they regularly take shots at one another over the “big, beautiful bill” on social media.
• Stephen Dinan can be reached at sdinan@washingtontimes.com.
• Kerry Picket can be reached at kpicket@washingtontimes.com.