By: Jerome Brookshire

Tensions between President Donald Trump and billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk erupted into full public view Thursday, with both men trading sharp barbs over the Republican Party’s flagship legislative initiative. As NBC News reported, the president used an Oval Office press event with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz to express deep frustration with Musk’s increasingly vocal opposition to the bill—a sprawling economic package that has drawn criticism from both political opponents and, now, one of Trump’s most prominent former allies.

In a shocking twist, Elon Musk tweeted on Thursday afternoon that Trump is in the Epstein files and this is why they have not been fully released 

“I’m very disappointed because Elon knew the inner workings of this bill,” Trump told reporters. “I’ve helped Elon a lot. I’m very disappointed in Elon.”

Those pointed remarks marked a striking reversal in a once-warm relationship between the president and the Tesla and SpaceX CEO. Musk had played a visible role in Trump’s second administration as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), where he was charged with streamlining federal operations and cutting expenditures. As NBC News previously noted, Musk’s tenure was widely praised in Republican circles, with Trump calling him “an American original.”

But the alliance began to sour after the unveiling of what GOP leadership dubbed the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” a legislative package that extended the 2017 Trump tax cuts, eliminated taxes on tips and overtime, increased border and military funding, cut entitlements like Medicaid and SNAP, and raised the debt ceiling by $4 trillion. The bill excluded key electric vehicle (EV) tax credits—a move that Musk called a “disgusting abomination.”

“Elon’s upset because we took the EV mandate, which was a lot of money for electric vehicles,” Trump said Thursday. “They’re having a hard time with electric vehicles and they want us to pay billions of dollars in subsidies. Elon knew this from the beginning.”

BREAKING UPDATE Musk tweeted the following :

Time to drop the really big bomb:@realDonaldTrump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public.

Have a nice day, DJT!

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 5, 2025

Tesla, the dominant U.S. electric vehicle manufacturer, has seen its sales slump amid increased global competition and what analysts cited to NBC News as backlash over Musk’s increasingly polarizing political activity. The company’s stock is down more than 20% year-to-date. Since stepping down from his White House post last week, Musk has insisted he’s back at Tesla and SpaceX “24/7.” Yet his barrage of online criticism has continued unabated.

President Trump just said the easiest way to save money in our budget is to “terminate @elonmusk’s Governmental subsidies and contracts.”

Trump added, “I was always surprised that Biden didn’t do it.” pic.twitter.com/qlcq0u9XdU

— Laura Loomer (@LauraLoomer) June 5, 2025

In response to Trump’s remarks, Musk posted a casual “whatever” on X before unleashing a flurry of posts asserting that he had played a pivotal role in Trump’s re-election. “Without me, Trump would have lost the election, Dems would control the House and the Republicans would be 51-49 in the Senate,” he wrote. “Such ingratitude.”

The NBC News report highlighted how this public feud signals a broader fracture between Trump and key figures once aligned with his reform agenda. Musk, who donated over $250 million to Trump’s 2024 campaign, told Bloomberg last month he intends to scale back his political giving in the future. “I think I’ve done enough,” he said.

Musk’s public dissent has also strained his relationship with House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), who told NBC News that the Tesla CEO had performed “a 180” in his support for the bill. Johnson said he attempted to reach Musk following the billionaire’s critical posts but had received no reply.

The bill itself remains contentious. The Congressional Budget Office, in an estimate cited by NBC News, projected that the legislation would add $2.4 trillion to the national debt over the next decade. While Republicans hailed its tax relief provisions and enhanced enforcement measures, critics say it threatens social safety net programs while failing to deliver long-term fiscal sustainability.

Just days ago, Trump had still praised Musk’s service, calling his leadership at DOGE “without comparison in modern history.” He even hinted at continued involvement. “Elon’s really not leaving,” Trump said. “It’s his baby, and I think he’s going to be doing a lot of things.”

But if Thursday’s clash is any indication, Musk’s departure from the Trump administration may be more permanent—and acrimonious—than the president once hoped.

As the Senate takes up the bill in the coming weeks, the fallout from this political breakup could carry long-term implications, not just for GOP legislative strategy, but also for the role of powerful private-sector figures in shaping public policy. NBC News analysts suggest the dispute reflects a deepening rift between populist economic goals and libertarian-leaning tech interests—a dynamic that could reshape the Republican coalition heading into the next election cycle.