Elon Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur, has seen his relationship with former President Donald Trump deteriorate into a bitter public feud since leaving the White House last week. Musk departed from his role leading the Department of Government Efficiency after reaching his 130-day limit as a special government employee.
The Beginning of the Feud
The war of words began shortly after Musk voiced his opposition to Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which passed the House last month by a single vote and is now in the Senate. Tensions escalated when they appeared together in an interview on X in July 2024. The event, plagued with technical difficulties, attracted an estimated audience of 1.3 million viewers, although no official numbers were released.
Financial Involvement in Politics
Federal Election Commission filings revealed that Musk spent over $270 million through two super political action committees promoting Trump’s candidacy and other Republican candidates across various levels of U.S. politics.
Election Night at Mar-a-Lago
On election night, November 5, Musk spent the evening at Mar-a-Lago, the resort owned by Trump in Palm Beach, Florida. He remained there until November 9, during which his Twitter account was active with updates on voting results and congratulatory messages to both winners and losers. Reports indicated that Musk made multiple phone calls from Mar-a-Lago, including one to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on November 6.
Formation of the Department of Government Efficiency
A week after Joe Biden’s victory over Trump, Musk announced via X that he would join forces with fellow Republican Vivek Ramaswamy to create a new department called the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) within Trump’s administration. Their stated goal was to pave the way for the new administration to dismantle government size and scope, cut excess regulations, and restructure relevant federal agencies. In response, Trump tweeted a picture of himself alongside Musk in front of SpaceX’s Starship rocket, which had launched just days before from Cape Canaveral, Florida.
Inauguration Day and Subsequent Developments
January 20 marked the inauguration day for President-elect Joe Biden. Musk attended the ceremony, wearing a number one button-down shirt and sporting his usual black hairstyle, alongside notable guests such as President-elect Vivek Ramaswamy and former President Trump.
On February 11, President Joe Biden welcomed Musk to a White House briefing session, where Musk defended cost-cutting measures across the federal government. This move prompted a string of federal lawsuits against the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Musk’s son drew attention during a cabinet meeting later that day when he climbed around the Resolute Desk while reporters asked questions about recent developments.
Conclusion
As tensions grow between Elon Musk and Donald Trump, questions arise about whether their alliance will continue amidst the ongoing public feud.
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