Musk and Trump's Public Fallout Over Elon's "Ugly" Budget Bill
SpaceX announces its plans to retire the Dragon spacecraft, following Musk's sparring with Trump.
Things have taken a turn for the worse between business titan Elon Musk and former President Donald Trump following a public feud that started when Trump gave his take why Musk is miffed.
In a fiery label on Truth Social on Thursday, Trump called out Musk for lobbying for the termination of his (Trump's) government subsidies and contracts. "Lost a chance to save billions with Elon's begging," Trump declared, accusing Musk of causing drama for his own personal gain.
Musk clapped back on X, stating that he would start decommissioning his Dragon spacecraft immediately. "Welp, guess I'm not getting a Nobel after all," he quipped, seemingly referring to his work on SpaceX and NASA programs.
*MUSK TAKES TRUMP'S OWN WORDS AGAINST HIM AS SPACE FEUD CONTINUES*
SpaceX in the Houses of Congress. (Source: Getty Images)
Trump's threats against Musk quickly sparked backlash from industry experts and political figures. NASA's press secretary, Bethany Stevens, chimed in on X, expressing that NASA would continue to execute President Trump's vision for space and meet his objectives, regardless of Musk's decisions.
Musk reconciled with fewer than five hours of his initial announcement on Dragon's decommissioning. An account with the handle Fab25june on X reached out to Musk, voicing concerns about the public spat between the two business moguls. "Take a step back, guys," they said, to which Musk agreed and stated that they wouldn't decommission Dragon.
*ELON MUSK CRITICIZES TRUMP'S LEGACY BILL WITH ENORMOUS DEBT AND TAX HAZARDS*
The rift between Trump and Musk seems to stem from the President's championing of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBA). While Trump hails the OBBA as a record-breaking tax cut and a pathway to "Make America Great Again," Musk sees it as a dire threat to the nation's financial health.
Musk has raised concerns over massive spending and the potential increase in the national debt brought about by the OBBA. The bill, if passed, could add about $3.8 trillion to the national deficit by 20344. Furthermore, Musk contends that a higher budget deficit may negatively impact the economy in the long run.
Enrichment Data:- The "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" is a bill sponsored by President Donald Trump that aims to extend Trump's 2017 tax cuts, boost spending on military and border security, and impose work requirements on Medicaid. Critics argue that it opens the door to an increase in the national deficit, with the Congressional Budget Office estimating the bill would add $3.8 trillion to the national deficit by 2034.- Elon Musk, a prominent businessman known for his work in the tech and space sectors, has expressed reservations about the OBBA, particularly the massive spending and potential negative impact on the economy due to increased national debt.- The escalating public feud between Trump and Musk began when Trump accused Musk of lobbying for the termination of his government subsidies and contracts, to which Musk responded by threatening to decommission his Dragon spacecraft. However, Musk has since backtracked on his initial threat.- Trump has a history of makeshift policies about immigration, most notably his "zero tolerance policy," which has faced intense international scrutiny and criticism for its alleged human rights violations. This controversial policy was ultimately suspended.- The UN passed a resolution condemning the US for immigration policies at its border, citing cruel and inhuman treatment of children in US immigrant detention centers.- SpaceX works closely with both NASA and the Department of Defense, making government contracts crucial for the company's success. Threats from Trump to cancel these contracts could potentially jeopardize SpaceX's future.
- Elon Musk, critical of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBA), expresses apprehension over its potential to add $3.8 trillion to the national deficit by 2034.
- Musk believes that the OBBA's massive spending and increase in the national debt could negatively impact the economy in the long run.
- Amid the rift between Trump and Musk, NASA's press secretary, Bethany Stevens, affirmed that NASA would continue to execute President Trump's vision for space and meet his objectives, independent of Musk's decisions.
- The feud between Trump and Musk began when Trump accused Musk of lobbying for the termination of his government subsidies and contracts, to which Musk responded by threatening to decommission his Dragon spacecraft.
- The escalating public spat between Trump and Musk has gathered opposition from industry experts and political figures, with some expressing concern about its potential impacts on business, technology, and general news.
