Timeline of the Trump Musk conflict and the way issues went so spectacularly improper | EUROtoday

On Friday May 30, President Donald Trump handed his shut aide and “first buddy” Elon Musk a golden key to the White House, praising the work the tech billionaire had achieved for his administration.

“Elon gave an incredible service,” Trump mentioned in a joint press convention with Musk final week. “There’s nobody like him.”

That press convention was meant to mark the tip of Musk’s 130 days as a particular authorities advisor, main the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in slashing extra federal spending.

For the most recent updates on the feud learn our weblog right here

Although there had been some disagreements throughout Musk’s time within the function – the Tesla proprietor made it clear he was not a fan of Trump’s tariffs, as an example – the occasion appeared to mark a conciliatory finish to their working relationship.

But there have been rumblings: Musk, whose entire objective at DOGE had been lowering federal expense, was deeply against Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill,” fearing it might ramp up the nationwide debt over the subsequent 10 years.

While White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt had efficiently managed to spin their distinction of opinion for instance of wholesome debate for a few days, every thing got here to a head on Thursday June 5.

Here’s a timeline of how the very public battle between Trump and Musk unfolded, which appeared unresolvable till Musk provided a grovelling apology six days later.

Trump vs Musk: Minute-by-minute

1.31pm EDT, Tuesday June 3: Musk assaults the ‘Big Beautiful Bill’

Writing on X, Musk says: “I’m sorry, but I just can’t stand it anymore. This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination. Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong. You know it.”

He continued: “It will massively increase the already gigantic budget deficit to $2.5 trillion (!!!) and burden America (sic) citizens with crushingly unsustainable debt.”

Two days later, issues escalated dramatically.

12pm, Thursday June 5: Trump says he’s ‘surprised’ by Musk and ‘very disappointed’

In an Oval Office look with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Trump mentioned he was “very disappointed” by Musk’s feedback.

“Elon knew the inner workings of this bill better than almost anybody sitting here,” Trump informed reporters. “Elon and I had a great relationship. I don’t know if we will anymore.”

Trump added he “would have won Pennsylvania easily anyway,” with out Musk’s assist.

1.44-1.57pm June 5: Musk renames invoice, asks his followers if it was time to create a brand new political occasion

Musk posts a slew of tweets to X, in one in every of which he rebuts Trump’s level about Pennsylvania, arguing: “Without me, Trump would have lost the election, Dems would control the House and the Republicans would be 51-49 in the Senate.”

In one other, he asks, “Where is this guy today??” in response to a tweet of screenshots from the president’s earlier criticisms of accelerating the debt ceiling.

He then tweeted: “The Big Ugly Bill will INCREASE the deficit to $2.5 trillion!”

This is shortly adopted by a brand new suggestion from Musk: “Is it time to create a new political party in America that actually represents the 80% in the middle?”

This publish was nonetheless pinned to the highest of the X proprietor’s timeline for a number of days after.

2.16pm June 5: Musk says he can be round for longer than Trump

Responding to MAGA blogger Laura Loomer on X, who was commenting in regards to the divide amongst Republicans over the battle between Musk and Trump, the billionaire mentioned: “Oh and some food for thought as they ponder this question: Trump has 3.5 years left as President, but I will be around for 40+ years…”

2.37pm June 5: Trump assaults from Truth Social

The president says that Musk was “wearing thin” in a collection of posts on his social media platform.

“I asked him to leave, I took away his EV Mandate that forced everyone to buy Electric Cars that nobody else wanted (that he knew for months I was going to do!), and he just went CRAZY!” Trump mentioned.

He then added: “The easiest way to save money in our Budget, Billions and Billions of Dollars, is to terminate Elon’s Governmental Subsidies and Contracts. I was always surprised that Biden didn’t do it!”

2.48pm June 5: Musk hits again

Retweeting a screenshot of Trump’s EV mandate remark (alluding to the Big, Beautiful Bill scrapping a $7,500 tax credit score for EV prospects, which might influence Tesla), Musk mentioned: “Such an obvious lie. So sad.”

3.10pm June 5: Musk alleges Trump seems within the Jeffrey Epstein recordsdata

Musk tweeted: “Files linked to the investigation of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein have emerged as a point of fixation for Trump and his allies and right-wing media figures.

“Time to drop the really big bomb: Donald Trump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public.”

Shortly after, he wrote: “Mark this post for the future. The truth will come out.”

4.09pm June 5: Musk says he’ll decommission Dragon spacecraft

“In light of the President’s statement about cancellation of my government contracts, SpaceX will begin decommissioning its Dragon spacecraft immediately,” he tweeted.

Another X consumer replied, urging Musk to “cool off and take a step back for a couple of days.” Musk replied: “Good advice. Ok, we won’t decommission Dragon.”

4.06pm June 5: Trump defends the invoice

Trump wrote on Truth Social: “I don’t mind Elon turning against me, but he should have done so months ago. This is one of the Greatest Bills ever presented to Congress. It’s a Record Cut in Expenses, $1.6 Trillion Dollars, and the Biggest Tax Cut ever given.

“If this Bill doesn’t pass, there will be a 68% Tax Increase, and things far worse than that. I didn’t create this mess, I’m just here to FIX IT. This puts our Country on a Path of Greatness. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”

4.11pm June 5: Musk appears to agree Trump must be changed by Vice President JD Vance

Musk retweets an X consumer, who mentioned: “President vs Elon. Who wins? My money’s on Elon. Trump should be impeached and JD Vance should replace him.”

4.26pm June 5: Musk brings tariffs into the battle

Musk tweets: “The Trump tariffs will cause a recession in the second half of this year.”

The level echoes a warning issued by most of the president’s critics, from economists to pundits, however most notably his former presidential rival Kamala Harris.

7.50pm June 5: Musk says ‘Kill the bill’

Musk tweets: “Call your Senator, Call your Congressman, Bankrupting America is NOT ok! KILL the BILL.”

Last publish of June 5: Impeachment for Trump?

Musk’s final repost for the day is from an X consumer, who mentioned: “This is why Republicans will likely lose the House in 2026 and then Democrats will spend two years investigating and impeaching President Trump.

“Trump and the Republicans in Congress need to deliver. We want budget cuts. We want agencies shut down. We don’t want big govt.”

June 6: Trump shuns cellphone name to clear the air

The following day, West Wing aides briefed the media that the 2 males have been planning a non-public cellphone name to clear the air, just for the president himself to inform reporters that he had no real interest in talking to the person who had donated at the very least $288m to his election marketing campaign simply months earlier, leaving their once-close relationship in limbo.

Trump informed Jonathan Karl of ABC News he was “not particularly” all in favour of speaking to Musk and mentioned to Dana Bash of CNN: “I’m not even thinking about Elon. He’s got a problem. The poor guy’s got a problem.”

3am June 11: Musk seeks econciliation?

With Trump and his administration subsequently shifting focus to the Los Angeles anti-ICE protests, the tech boss unexpectedly extends an olive department.

“I regret some of my posts about President Donald Trump last week,” Musk wrote on X within the small hours of the morning. “They went too far.”