By M10News Political Correspondent
© M10News 2025 – All Rights Reserved
Washington, D.C. – President Donald Trump reignited tensions with Elon Musk, warning on Tuesday that the billionaire entrepreneur could face scrutiny from a revived government watchdog agency and even suggesting a possible review of Musk’s U.S. citizenship status.
The remarks came as Musk continues to publicly oppose Trump’s so-called “Big, Beautiful Bill”—a sweeping legislative proposal backed by Republican lawmakers that would cut electric vehicle (EV) tax credits, a move Musk argues would cripple the American clean energy sector.
Speaking to reporters outside the White House, Trump took direct aim at the Tesla and SpaceX CEO: “He’s upset that he’s losing his EV mandate,” the president said. “He could lose a lot more than that, I can tell you right now.”
Asked if deporting Musk—a naturalised U.S. citizen originally from South Africa—was on the table, Trump replied, “I don’t know, we’ll have to take a look.”
DOGE Threat and Political Retaliation
Trump then invoked the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a once-defunct agency Musk briefly chaired during a previous Trump administration initiative to curb federal spending. “We might have to put DOGE on Elon,” Trump said. “DOGE is the monster that might have to go back and eat Elon.”
He added that Musk benefits heavily from government subsidies and questioned whether those should continue.
“Elon may get more subsidies than any human being in history, by far,” Trump posted later on Truth Social. “Without subsidies, Elon would probably have to close up shop and head back home to South Africa.”
The president’s comments follow Musk’s outspoken criticism of the bill, which he says contradicts promises to reduce government spending.
In a viral post on X (formerly Twitter), Musk described the legislation as “incredibly destructive” and accused Trump of hypocrisy, posting a burning Pinocchio meme labelled “LIAR.”
“Anyone who campaigned on REDUCING SPENDING but votes for the BIGGEST DEBT increase in HISTORY will have their face on this poster in next year’s primaries,” Musk warned.
Public Breakdown of a Political Alliance
The deteriorating relationship between the two powerful figures has been building for months. A previous clash in June turned public when Musk tweeted that Trump had appeared in sealed government files related to Jeffrey Epstein.
“Time to drop the really big bomb,” Musk wrote. “(Trump) is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public.”
He later walked back the accusation, but not before reposting a 1992 video showing Trump socialising with Epstein and mocking their fallout as viral memes.
The final rift reportedly came in April, when Trump barred Musk from a classified meeting on China, fuming to staff: “What the f**k is Elon doing there? Make sure he doesn’t go,” according to a report by Axios.
High Stakes for Policy and the Tech Industry
Musk has long been a prominent critic of government intervention in markets, but his companies—including Tesla, SpaceX, and Starlink—have also received substantial federal contracts and tax incentives.
The looming passage of the “Big, Beautiful Bill,” which aims to slash EV tax breaks and reallocate spending toward traditional energy and infrastructure, could directly impact Tesla’s market advantage and broader green energy efforts.
Despite their falling-out, Trump’s administration remains silent on whether any formal review into Musk’s status or DOGE-led investigations are underway.
As the Senate prepares for a key vote on the legislation, both Trump and Musk appear locked in a battle that could shape the future of American energy, space innovation, and political power plays between Silicon Valley and Washington.
Editing by M10News U.S. Bureau | Contact: politics@m10news.com
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