However, in the past several days, their relationship has touched a new low, with insults, threats and calls for impeachment being made in public.
During the 2024 US presidential race, Elon Musk openly endorsed President Donald Trump. After returning to the White House for a second term, Trump included the Tesla CEO in his government to serve as co-lead of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).However, Musk left the White House in late May 2025 following Trump’s enormous tax and domestic policy plan, which was raging on social media.
Here is a timeline of Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s friendship that took a turn for the worse, from mutual support to a public spat on social media.
2016–2017: Early scepticism and collaboration
Elon Musk, who supported Hilary Clinton at the time, voiced concerns about Trump’s readiness for the presidency in November 2016. Musk did, however, join Trump’s economic advisory groups despite his previous misgivings to influence immigration and environmental policy.
Musk resigned from the advisory councils in June 2017 in response to Trump’s announcement that the country would withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement.
2018–2020: Different trajectories
Musk and Trump avoided direct collaboration and instead kept a careful distance, occasionally commenting on one another’s behaviour. Musk expressed his disapproval of Trump’s decision to suspend temporary work visas, stressing the value of qualified foreign workers to the American economy.
2021–2022: Peace-making and heightened hostilities
In January 2022, Trump hailed Musk as one of the ‘great geniuses’ of the world, comparing him with Thomas Edison. The relationship again deteriorated in July 2022 when Trump called Musk “another bulls*** artist,” denouncing his political and business choices.
2023–2024: Partnership and political alliance
Trump tried to get Musk to contribute money to his election campaign in March 2024. Musk publicly supported Trump when he was the target of an assassination attempt in July 2024, which marked a dramatic change in their friendship.
The billionaire entrepreneur posted a video of Trump shortly after the incident on X (formerly Twitter) that night, along with the words, “I fully endorse President Trump and hope for his rapid recovery.”
I fully endorse President Trump and hope for his rapid recovery pic.twitter.com/ZdxkF63EqF
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 13, 2024
Trump and Musk had a cordial discussion about immigration, the economy, then-President Joe Biden, and then-Vice President Kamala Harris during a livestream on X in mid-August 2024, according to a New York Times report.
A few days later, Musk posted a picture of himself as a Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) official on X, along with the words that he was “willing to serve.”
I am willing to serve pic.twitter.com/BJhGbcA2e0
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 20, 2024
Trump made a triumphant return to the location of the July murder attempt on October 5, accompanied by his ally Musk, who referred to himself as ‘Dark MAGA’ in his statements at the time.
Musk was named co-chair of the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which Trump created with the goal of streamlining federal procedures.
2025: Public conflict and alliance dissolution
Musk began to distance himself from DOGE in April 2025, stating that he needed to concentrate on his commercial endeavours. He officially resigned from his position in May 2025.
In late May 2025, Musk expressed his dismay with Trump’s hallmark tax and spending measure in an interview with CBS News.
Musk declared his departure from the White House a day later.
“As my scheduled time as a Special Government Employee comes to an end, I would like to thank President @realDonaldTrump for the opportunity to reduce wasteful spending,” Musk wrote on X at the time.
As my scheduled time as a Special Government Employee comes to an end, I would like to thank President @realDonaldTrump for the opportunity to reduce wasteful spending.
The @DOGE mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government.— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 29, 2025
In June 2025, Trump and Musk’s friendship quickly soured due to differences of opinion on the ‘One Big Beautiful Bill,’ a large tax and spending plan.
Musk criticised the plan, calling it a ‘disgusting abomination’ on X, for its fiscal recklessness and cutbacks in incentives for electric vehicles.
“Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong. You know it,” he wrote.
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.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 3, 2025
In response, Trump called Musk “the man who has lost his mind,” implying a total collapse in their friendship, and threatened to cancel federal contracts given to Musk’s businesses.
Musk intensified the conflict by demanding that Trump be removed from office and made unfounded allegations that he was connected to disgraced financier and paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
The public backlash has severe financial consequences, including an enormous decline in the value of Tesla’s stock.
