If you told someone a year ago that Elon Musk and Donald Trump would be publicly at each other's throats, most people wouldn’t believe you. They weren’t just allies- they were partners in reshaping American politics. Besties, as I like to call them.

But now, their relationship has imploded in the most chaotic and high-stakes way imaginable. So what actually happened?

How It Started: The Alliance That Shocked Everyone

Back in late 2023 and early 2024, Elon Musk- tech billionaire, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, and owner of X (formerly Twitter)- began throwing his support (and all that money) behind Donald Trump’s re-election campaign. At the time, this shocked a lot of people. Musk had previously criticized both political parties and called himself “politically independent.” But as Trump’s campaign gained momentum, Musk jumped on board.

They were sitting on freaking flights next to each other. If that doesn't scream true-love, then I don't know what does.

Image Credit: Office of Speaker Mike Johnson from Wikimedia Commons

Here’s what they did for each other:

Musk gave Trump the Silicon Valley clout he was missing. His support brought credibility in tech and entrepreneurial circles, especially among younger voters who admired Musk’s innovation, even if they didn’t support Trump.

Trump gave Musk political power. In return for support, Trump promised Musk a significant advisory role in government. Together, they launched the Department of Government Efficiency (nicknamed DOGE, of course), which was designed to streamline federal bureaucracy. Musk co-led the initiative with Vivek Ramaswamy.

Musk funded the campaign in a massive way, pouring nearly $75 million into a Trump-supporting super PAC.

They even teased future collaboration in energy, education, and space policy. They were so close that he even introduced Trump to his son. Literal besties, right?

Image Credit: The White House from Wikimedia Commons

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Where It Went Wrong: The Spending Bill That Blew It All Up

For a while, things were stable—even friendly. But everything changed in late May 2025.

Trump introduced a new tax-and-spending bill dubbed the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.” It was massive- packed with funding increases and tax cuts, especially aimed at swing states. Trump claimed it would “revive American greatness.” Musk called it “a disgusting abomination.” (I absolutely love it when grown men act like teenage girls. If you so desperately want to be like us, then just say so.)

Why? The bill:

Cut EV tax credits, directly threatening Tesla.

Added over $2 trillion to the national debt, which Musk publicly criticized. When I look at the U.S national debt, it makes me feel a lot better about all the money I owe my sister.

Redirected NASA funding, potentially impacting SpaceX contracts.

Musk not only opposed it- he torched it. He has been tweeting and contiously reposting everything against trump (on his own platform, no less). He pulled out of DOGE, essentially resigning from his advisory position. Basically, the bill was his final straw.

Trump, in classic Trump fashion, retaliated swiftly:

He questioned Musk’s loyalty and began publicly mocking him.

He hinted that Tesla and SpaceX could lose government contracts.

He suggested Musk was “too emotional” to handle politics. In my words, he's basically saying that “billionaires should stick to their electric cars.”

The Final Blow: Accusations, Doxxing, and the Epstein Files

Just when it seemed like things couldn’t get uglier, Musk dropped a bombshell. In early June 2025, Musk tweeted that Trump’s name had been mentioned in files related to Jeffrey Epstein- the convicted [censored] offender with ties to powerful men.

He implied that Trump was blocking full public release of the Epstein files to avoid damaging revelations.

Image Credit: Elon Musk from Wikimedia Commons

Trump commented that Elon Musk knew everything about the Bill he suddenly had a problem about.

“ I’m very disappointed because Elon knew the inner workings of this bill better than almost anybody sitting here.  He had no problem with it. All of a sudden, he had a problem.”

He went a step farther and basically said that Elon Musk missed him; well the White House. He called it a "Trump derangement syndrome."

The cat fight just kept getting more interesting. I have just one question: where was PR in all of this?

The Fallout: Stocks, Congress, and Chaos

Tesla stock dropped nearly 10% in the week following the feud, as investors worried about federal backlash.

SpaceX’s NASA contracts are now reportedly under review, though the agency has made no official statement.

Republican lawmakers are divided. Some still support Musk’s influence and see him as a visionary; others have fully aligned behind Trump and now view Musk as a liability.

How It’s Going: A Cold War with Memes and Tweets

There’s no formal break-up letter, but Musk has distanced himself entirely from Trump’s camp. Trump, meanwhile, is ramping up campaign events and reportedly seeking new advisors from more “loyal” circles. Musk continues to lob indirect insults on X, criticizing government spending, calling out corruption, and hinting that the “truth” about more political figures will come out soon.

At this point, both men are still massively influential- but no longer on the same team.

Let’s be honest, way too entertaining. Gen Z might not be buying what either of them is selling, but we are watching - and if the billionaires want to act like teenagers online, they better be ready for teenagers comment on it.