Trump threatens to cut ‘Billions and Billions of Dollars’ in federal funding for Elon Musk’s companies as feud goes nuclear

Tensions between Donald Trump and Elon Musk exploded on Thursday, marking a dramatic shift from their once-friendly relationship. President Trump publicly suggested that the government should cut off federal funding to Elon Musk’s companies, which could amount to billions of dollars in subsidies and contracts. He made this statement on his social media platform, Truth Social, saying that eliminating Musk’s funding would be the “easiest way to save money” and wondering why President Biden hadn’t already done it.

This comment comes just months after Trump and Musk appeared to be on good terms. They were even seen together at the White House in March, where Trump reportedly bought a Tesla directly from Musk. At that time, Musk was not only a financial supporter of Trump’s 2024 campaign but was also being considered a key figure in shaping Trump’s proposed Department of Government Efficiency.

But things quickly changed. Musk recently criticized a piece of legislation that Trump and other Republicans are strongly supporting. This proposed bill, called the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, is designed to fulfill many of Trump’s campaign promises, including tax cuts on overtime pay, tips, and Social Security benefits. However, the bill also takes aim at government support for electric vehicles, which directly affects Musk’s business interests.

Musk spoke out against the bill, calling it wasteful and warning that it would only add to the country’s growing national debt. His opposition clearly struck a nerve with Trump, leading to the threat of cutting off financial support.

Musk’s companies—Tesla, SpaceX, and Starlink—have deep financial ties to the federal government. They receive subsidies for electric vehicles, provide internet services through Starlink for both domestic and military use, and carry out high-cost space missions funded by federal contracts. Removing this support could seriously impact their operations and bottom line.

This sudden feud shows how quickly political alliances can shift, especially when money and power are involved. What was once a mutually beneficial relationship between two of the most high-profile figures in business and politics has now turned into a public power struggle, with billions of dollars and major national projects hanging in the balance.