Billionaire Elon Musk has dared Donald Trump to follow through on threats to cut federal subsidies to his companies, after the former U.S. president suggested the tech mogul “head back home” to South Africa if public funding were withdrawn.
The war of words intensified this week as Trump attacked Musk over his opposition to the administration’s flagship spending package — the so-called "One Big Beautiful Bill".
The $4.5 trillion proposal seeks to extend Trump-era tax cuts and boost border security, but has triggered pushback within the Republican Party due to its projected impact on healthcare access and national debt.
Trump, posting on his Truth Social platform, accused Musk of hypocrisy and suggested his businesses, including Tesla and SpaceX, would be unsustainable without state support.
“Elon may get more subsidy than any human being in history, by far, and without subsidies, Elon would probably have to close up shop and head back home to South Africa,” Trump wrote.
He also called for a probe into Musk’s operations by the Department of Government Efficiency — or DOGE — a government office Musk led as a presidential adviser until stepping down in May.
“No more rocket launches, satellites, or electric car production, and our country would save a fortune,” Trump said. “Perhaps we should have DOGE take a good, hard look at this? Big money to be saved.”
Musk quickly responded on X (formerly Twitter), posting: “I am literally saying CUT IT ALL. Now.” He further accused Republican leaders of supporting "debt slavery" and warned against plunging the country deeper into financial crisis. “All I'm asking is that we don't bankrupt America,” he wrote. “What's the point of a debt ceiling if we keep raising it?”
The fallout comes after an increasingly acrimonious relationship between the two, despite Musk having once endorsed Trump for president. Their public feud erupted last month over the bill, which Musk claims endangers economic stability and personal liberty.
As the Senate began voting on the measure Monday, Musk renewed calls for a new political party, positioning himself as a challenger to the status quo in both major political camps.
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