Let’s take a closer look at how the Trump Musk Alliance Collapse—the meltdown that played out on social media and what happens next after the end of this bromance.
Switching gears—what began as an unstoppable alliance between the world’s most powerful man and the world’s richest has now exploded. Elon Musk and Donald Trump, once bound by power, ambition, and billions, are locked in a public feud that could reshape American politics and beyond. Let’s take a closer look at the Trump Musk Alliance Collapse.
From alliance of the century to its collapse
It was the alliance of the century: Trump’s campaign energy fused with Musk’s tech empire. “The people voted for major government reform, and that’s what they’re going to get,” Musk declared, calling Trump’s agenda “a chainsaw for bureaucracy.” He cheered as Trump was elected president for the second time. In return, Trump granted Musk unprecedented influence, even putting him in charge of DOGE to “save billions of American taxpayers’ money.” “Elon is doing a great job,” Trump boasted.
The two laughed over dinners, debated policy at golf resorts, and praised each other in speeches and memes—until everything unraveled. The Trump Musk alliance collapse erupted publicly on the very social media platforms they own, hurling barbs in a bitter end to their unlikely alliance. Trump slammed Musk, expressing disappointment over his attacks on the administration’s policies. “Elon knew the inner workings of this bill better than almost anybody,” Trump fumed. “He had no problem with it—until he found out we’d have to cut the EV mandate. That’s billions of dollars at stake.”
The Aftermath of the Trump Musk Alliance Collapse
The verbal and political clash between the U.S. President and the world’s richest man turned into a full-blown battle, playing out simultaneously across politics, the economy, and social media—a fight many are calling unprecedented in American history.
A British media outlet, referencing the recent public sparring between American entrepreneur Elon Musk and President Donald Trump, reported that an extraordinary power struggle is underway between these two figures—one that’s hard to find a parallel for in U.S. history.
According to Middle East Eye, while there may be a few loose historical comparisons—like when Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in 2017 detained princes and wealthy businessmen in a Riyadh hotel to bring them to heel, or when Russia’s president, about two decades ago, forced post-Soviet oligarchs to fall in line——the Trump Musk alliance collapse is unique.
Also Read: Trump: I’m Focused on China, Russia, and Iran—Not Thinking About Elon Musk
On the surface, the dispute between Trump and Musk is over policy. This week, the Tesla CEO and former head of the Office of Government Optimization called Trump’s new tax bill “an appalling disaster.” Musk echoed the concerns of economists worried that the bill could add trillions to America’s debt, at a time when the dollar is weakening and demand for new U.S. bonds has plunged.
Trump, who has called the bill a decisive step, told German Chancellor Friedrich Merz during a meeting in the Oval Office on Thursday, “I’d rather have Elon criticize me than criticize the bill,” adding, “Elon and I had a good relationship, but I don’t think that’s the case anymore.”
Social Media Drama
Hours later, tensions escalated sharply. Musk took to X (formerly Twitter), calling for Trump’s impeachment and suggesting that Trump’s running mate, J.D. Vance, should replace him. Vance, himself a political newcomer, has been mentored and backed by tech billionaire Peter Thiel.
Musk then threatened to form a new political party and halt NASA collaborations for astronaut launches. He also claimed Trump would lose the presidential election without his support and made thinly veiled references linking Trump to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Trump responded by arguing Musk’s opposition to the tax bill was not about patriotism, but about ending electric vehicle subsidies that benefit Tesla. “Elon was testing my patience,” Trump said.
In another post, Trump wrote: “The simplest way to save billions in our budget is to cut Elon’s subsidies and government contracts. I always wondered why Biden never did that!”
This threat to use presidential power against Musk’s business empire—including Tesla and SpaceX—caused Tesla’s shares to drop about 14% on Thursday, with Musk’s net worth falling by $34 billion according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. However, Tesla’s stock rebounded by around 5% on Friday.
Silicon Valley vs. Trump’s Nationalists
Middle East Eye notes that the Trump Musk alliance collapse has all the hallmarks of an American spectacle: dramatic, populist, and tailor-made for social media. Musk is active on X, while Trump posts on his own Truth Social platform.
Of course, the U.S. is no stranger to elite infighting. There was the fatal 1804 duel between then-Vice President Aaron Burr and former Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton, or when President Theodore Roosevelt led an anti-monopoly crusade against Gilded Age moguls like John D. Rockefeller.
America has seen its share of elite infighting—think of Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton’s duel, or Theodore Roosevelt’s war on Gilded Age moguls. But the Trump Musk alliance collapse stands out because it fused Silicon Valley’s entrepreneurs and crypto supporters with working-class nationalist politics, then tore that fusion apart in public.
Though some reports suggest allies are trying to broker peace between the two, supporters of Trump’s “America First” movement seem to be encouraging the fight—and taking pleasure in Musk’s misfortunes.
Steve Bannon, Trump’s former adviser and an “America First” advocate, called for the government to seize Musk’s SpaceX and review his immigration status (Musk was born in South Africa). Bannon, despite being a critic of Trump’s tax plan himself, has long advocated higher taxes on the wealthy.
Referring to the “Make America Great Again” movement, Bannon said, “A few rich kids from tech and crypto will stick with Elon—they see him as a cult figure. But MAGA’s base is 100% behind Trump. None of them are buying Teslas.”
Yet, Musk donated over $250 million to Trump’s 2024 campaign, and he’s made it clear he’ll spend money to oppose any Republican who turns against him.
On Thursday night, Musk posted on X: “Trump will only be president for another 3.5 years, but I’ll be here for more than 40…”
Can Trump and Musk Reconcile?
Trump has a history of fierce public disputes that later turned into alliances. Both current Secretary of State Marco Rubio and J.D. Vance were harsh critics of Trump in 2016. But neither of them had Musk’s vast financial resources to sustain a battle with the president.
In a way, Musk is almost like a nation unto himself. His technologies, such as Starlink, are active in the Ukraine conflict, and his companies send NASA astronauts to space. His insider knowledge of the Trump family and the White House could make him a valuable asset to any leader—including America’s allies.
From a broader perspective, Middle East Eye argues, this feud may give America’s friends and foes alike the impression that the country’s internal structure is unstable.
In less than a day, the U.S. president threatened on social media to use his power against a former ally, while the world’s richest man called for his impeachment.
Many observers predicted the flashy friendship between Trump and Musk would eventually collapse, given both men’s outsized ambition and egos. Some reports say Musk felt his investment in Trump’s campaign hadn’t yielded benefits.
The Future After the Fued
In May, the Wall Street Journal reported Musk had tried to block the construction of one of the world’s largest AI data centers in Abu Dhabi, but Trump and his aides refused, opting not to kill the project in favor of Musk’s AI firm.
On Wednesday, tech billionaire and Musk ally Jared Isaacman claimed Trump rejected his NASA administrator nomination due to his ties with Musk.
If this feud continues, it could turn even uglier, as the president has many levers to pressure Musk and his business empire. Since returning to power, Trump has shown no hesitation to use government power for personal vendettas.
Meanwhile, Musk has enough wealth to make future elections tough for Trump and his supporters.
If this turns into an all-out war, the world will witness an unprecedented battle between the world’s most powerful politician and its richest man—unfolding live on social media.
The bromance that shaped the 2024 campaign, digital meme wars, and billion-dollar defense deals is over. What remains is Trump Musk alliance collapse and one looming question: What’s next? Will Musk back a new candidate, run himself, or could there be an unlikely reconciliation?