Vice President JD Vance has finally broken his silence on what he calls a “nuclear mistake” by longtime ally Elon Musk. Musk’s unfiltered, scorched-earth attack on Donald Trump has sent shockwaves through MAGA ranks.
In a wide-ranging podcast interview with comedian Theo Von and a flurry of late social media posts, Vance straddled the fine line between Trump loyalty and Musk sympathy but made one thing clear: he believes the world’s richest man may have just slammed the door shut on any return to the MAGA fold.
“My loyalties are always going to be with the president,” Vance told Von, reacting to Musk’s now-deleted posts accusing Trump of ties to Jeffrey Epstein and calling for his impeachment. “I hope that eventually Elon kind of comes back into the fold. Maybe that’s not possible now because he’s gone so nuclear,” AP News reported.
In the coming days and weeks, expect more calls from Musk and other technofascist oligarchs for Trump’s impeachment. This is part of a broader strategy, as they own JD Vance and are positioning him for the presidency to complete their takeover of the United States of America pic.twitter.com/MVFIRYnKVw
— Joni Askola (@joni_askola) June 5, 2025
The political fallout has been swift. MAGA die-hards took to X to question Vance’s initial silence: eight hours of deafening quiet before the VP took a soft tone on Musk and a predictable but non-combative stance beside Trump. The delay stoked speculation about his loyalties, especially given Musk’s prior backing of Vance and Trump’s growing impatience.
JD Vance Cautions Musk, Defends Trump
JD Vance’s statements are the clearest sign that the Trump-Musk rupture may be irreparable.
The feud erupted after Musk tore into Trump’s new GOP-backed budget bill, claiming it would bankrupt the country and urging his followers to form a new centrist party.
He didn’t stop there. Musk went further, linking Trump to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and suggesting JD Vance should replace him, a move former Trump adviser Steve Bannon dubbed to NPR’s Morning Edition: “He crossed the Rubicon. It’s one thing to make comments about spending on the bill. There’s another thing about what he did.”
The veep’s measured response offered both concern and criticism. “I just think it’s a huge mistake for the world’s wealthiest man (…) to be at this war with the world’s most powerful man,” Vance said. He denounced Musk’s Epstein remarks and emphasized that Trump had “done more than any person in my lifetime to earn the trust of the movement he leads.”
Still, Vance acknowledged Musk’s frustrations with Washington, particularly over the president’s budget strategy. “It’s a good bill, it’s not a perfect bill,” Vance said, empathizing with Musk.
However, his balancing act is under scrutiny, especially with Trump warning that Musk could face “serious consequences” for backing Democrats in 2026, pointing to Musk’s dependence on federal subsidies and contracts.
MAGA Movement Splinters Over Elon Musk Drama
For a movement built on fierce loyalty, the current fissure is seismic. Trump’s posts on Truth Social have dismissed Elon Musk as “crazy” and threatened to cut off his government subsidies, a real threat given Musk’s vast dependence on federal partnerships through SpaceX and Tesla.
Musk, meanwhile, has remained combative, portraying Trump as fiscally irresponsible and obsolete. This message is gaining surprising traction among younger conservatives and libertarian-leaning tech enthusiasts.
Inside MAGA circles, Vance’s delayed reaction didn’t go unnoticed.
VANCE: “Hopefully Elon figures it out and comes back. The President is a little frustrated but he’s actually been restrained because he doesn’t want to be in some blood feud with Elon Musk. I think if Elon chills out a little bit everything will be fine.” pic.twitter.com/ebvRyDo4eR
— Autism Capital 🧩 (@AutismCapital) June 7, 2025
Yet Vance’s podcast diplomacy could be an effort to maintain open lines with both giants, just in case Musk decides to return to the fold or Trump needs tech elite support. However, with Musk now actively championing a political realignment and Vance calling his rhetoric “nuclear,” the prospect of reconciliation seems bleak.
As former allies become digital enemies and GOP factions realign, JD Vance may find himself not just caught in the middle. But choosing sides more publicly, more definitively, and more often.
