On June 8, former U.S. President Donald Trump issued a stark warning to Elon Musk, stating the Tesla CEO would face “severe consequences” if he financially supports Democratic candidates targeting Republican lawmakers who backed the GOP’s massive budget bill.
During a phone interview, Trump declared: “If he does that, he’ll have to pay the consequences,” while refusing to specify what those consequences might entail.
Irreparable Relationship Breakdown
Trump made clear he has no intention of repairing his relationship with Musk, following their very public feud this week. When asked about potential reconciliation, Trump responded bluntly: “No.” Pressed on whether their relationship was permanently damaged, he stated: “I think so.”
These remarks represent Trump’s most detailed comments since their mutual attacks escalated on X and Truth Social platforms. Despite the rift, Trump claimed the Republican party has never been more unified.
No Planned Communication
The former president revealed he has no plans to speak with Musk, citing a busy schedule. “I’m too busy, I have too many other things to do,” Trump said, adding, “I have no intention of speaking with him at all.”
Trump further accused Musk of disrespecting the presidency: “I think it’s bad because he’s very disrespectful. You can’t disrespect the presidency.”
Budget Bill Controversy
The public fallout came days after Musk criticized the Republican-led spending bill passed by the House last month. Trump responded from the Oval Office on Thursday, telling reporters: “I’m very disappointed because Elon knew what was in that bill. I’m very disappointed in Elon. I did a lot for Elon.”
Musk fired back on X with multiple posts, including one (since deleted) calling for Trump’s impeachment and another predicting his tariff policies would trigger an economic recession.
Contract Threats and Political Calculations
Trump suggested on Truth Social that terminating Musk’s government contracts could save billions, though he admitted on Saturday he hasn’t seriously considered this option: “I certainly have the right to, but I haven’t given it serious thought.”
The former president expressed confidence the budget bill would pass the Senate by July 4, ironically crediting Musk for drawing attention to its merits: “In a way, he did a big service because people who weren’t looking at it are now looking at it.”
Democrats Court Musk After Trump Feud
Following the public break with Trump, Musk has unexpectedly become a target for Democratic outreach. Representative Ro Khanna, a Democrat who’s known Musk for over a decade, reportedly discussed with a Musk confidant on June 5 about potential Democratic support in next year’s midterms.
Khanna suggested Musk could help counter Trump by opposing unreasonable tariffs, deficit-increasing bills, and anti-science immigration policies. This marks a significant shift as Musk had contributed substantially to Trump’s 2024 campaign, investing over $250 million in swing states.
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