To say that things have escalated in Washington, DC, would be the understatement of the year. President Donald Trump and his former “first buddy,” Elon Musk, are at each other’s throats. There has been continuous post after post on Twitter where Elon Musk seems to be taking revenge.
He has been posting and retweeting posts with damaging claims against the current government. Amid these, he made one of the most damaging posts.
Elon Musk has made a bold claim that he was the deciding factor in Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential victory. This further fueled a dramatic escalation in tensions between the billionaire tech mogul and the President. Musk’s claims cast him as a key player in Trump’s path back to the White House.
This furthers the claims the Democratic side has been making ever since Trump won the election. There have been whispers that it was Elon who helped the President and in return Elon reserved a seat at the table in the current administration.
Without me, Trump would have lost the election, Dems would control the House and the Republicans would be 51-49 in the Senate.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 5, 2025
Elon has stated that without his endorsement, resources, and influence, Trump would not have won reelection. “He would’ve lost without me,” Musk posted, pointing to his $275 million in campaign contributions. He also pointed towards his short-lived role as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) as evidence of his involvement in the Trump campaign’s success.
Ever Since Musk moved out of Trump’s administration, he has been hinting at how he was not involved in all the political decisions that the administration took. He also hinted at the fact that just because he agreed with a few of the administration’s key agendas does not mean he agrees with everything that the government has been planning.
A new spending bill should be drafted that doesn’t massively grow the deficit and increase the debt ceiling by 5 TRILLION DOLLARS
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 4, 2025
At the heart of it was the “Big Beautiful Bill” that Donald Trump and his team of MAGA agents in the government have been touting. After waiting for a few days, Musk could not hold anymore and finally criticized the bill on his social media platform, X.
The big bill proposed by the administration is a package combining tax cuts and immigration reform. Musk called the bill a “disgusting abomination,” citing its projected $2.4 trillion addition to the national deficit. He implied that the bill’s provisions represented a betrayal of those who had backed Trump politically and financially.
The bill includes cutting subsidies for electric vehicles, which would ultimately make Tesla more expensive. This news is not good for the company after seeing a fall in profit for the first quarter of 2025 by 71%.
NEW: Tesla’s profits fell 71% over the first three months of this year, according to the automaker’s earnings report released Tuesday. The company’s performance fell short of analysts’ expectations. https://t.co/r3IONfAXj8 pic.twitter.com/4omzWY5DPV
— ABC News (@ABC) April 22, 2025
However, President Trump is not new to such slanders on social media. He responded swiftly, brushing off Musk’s election claims and criticizing his motives.
Speaking alongside German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Trump stated he was “disappointed” in Musk’s remarks. He also suggested that remarks are stemming from self-interest rather than genuine policy concern.
He hinted towards reconsidering federal contracts with Musk’s companies, including Tesla and SpaceX. This will potentially put Tesla’s millions in government funding at risk.
Trump also disputed Musk’s role in his reelection. He called his role that of a useful surrogate and advisor early in the campaign. He also claimed that Elon ultimately stepped down before the race concluded. “He wasn’t there when it counted,” a White House spokesperson said.
What began as a disagreement over policy has evolved into a very public battle over power, influence, and legacy.
Elon Musk’s claim that he delivered Trump the presidency is not just a swipe at the current administration but an assertion that if not for Musk, Donald Trump wouldn’t have won on his own, therefore putting the integrity and acceptance of the whole administration on the chopping board.
This also shows Musk’s own political ambitions.
As stated earlier, Musk may be the richest man in the world, but he wanted to be the most powerful man, too, which he couldn’t do. Especially not now with his failing relationship with Donald Trump.
However, one must remember these are billionaires squabbling on X, and it can turn on his head anytime.
