The once-cordial relationship between billionaire Elon Musk and US President Donald Trump has erupted into a fiery public spat, with the two exchanging sharp insults online. The conflict exploded after Musk, the SpaceX and Tesla CEO, slammed Trump’s flagship tax and spending bill, setting off a war of words that has gripped global attention.
Once allies who shared the spotlight, US President Donald Trump and tech billionaire Elon Musk turned their massive social media platforms into arenas for a bitter public feud on June 5, 2025. Sparked by Musk’s criticism of Trump’s controversial tax and spending bill, dubbed the “Big Beautiful Bill,” the dispute escalated from policy disagreements to personal attacks, captivating global audiences. This minute-by-minute breakdown, drawing from Sky News and other reports, captures every jab and escalation in this high-stakes war of words.
The Context: A Fractured Alliance
Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, and Donald Trump, the 47th US President, were once inseparable, with Musk serving as a key advisor and head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) until his departure on May 30, 2025. Their fallout began when Musk labeled Trump’s multi-trillion-dollar bill a “disgusting abomination” for its projected $2.4 trillion deficit increase over a decade, per the Congressional Budget Office. Tensions boiled over into a public spat on X and Truth Social, shaking Washington and Wall Street alike, with Tesla’s stock plunging 14%, erasing $150 billion in value.
Timeline of the Feud: June 5–6, 2025
6:39 PM IST (5:09 PM EST): Musk Ignites the Fire
Musk takes to X, slamming Trump’s “big ugly spending bill” as a recipe for economic disaster. He warns it will balloon the US deficit to $2.5 trillion, retweeting a video of himself criticizing the bill’s fiscal irresponsibility.
6:44 PM IST (5:14 PM EST): Musk Mocks Trump’s Past
Musk escalates by resharing Trump’s 2012 X posts opposing deficits, sarcastically questioning, “Where is the man who wrote these words? Was he replaced by a body double!?” He also shares a meme mocking Trump’s plan and a poll from June 4 showing public support for his stance.
6:48 PM IST (5:18 PM EST): “Kill Bill”
Musk shares a post about the bill’s unpopularity, adding a blunt “Kill bill,” signaling his intent to rally opposition.
7:23 PM IST (5:53 PM EST): Musk Doubles Down
Musk continues his X barrage, accusing Congress of passing the bill “in the dead of night” without review, claiming it’s “spending America into bankruptcy.” He keeps up this critique throughout the evening, amplifying his message to his 220 million followers.
7:30 PM IST (6:00 PM EST): Public Backs Musk
Musk retweets a poll showing 76% of 1.5 million voters agree with him over Trump, reinforcing his narrative that the bill lacks public support.
7:37 PM IST (6:07 PM EST): Trump Fires Back
Trump responds on Truth Social, accusing Musk of going “CRAZY” after losing his White House role and the EV tax credit, which Trump claims Musk wanted despite a 2021 video where Musk said the industry didn’t need it. Trump threatens to slash billions in government contracts for SpaceX and Tesla, stating, “The easiest way to save money in our Budget, Billions and Billions of Dollars, is to terminate Elon’s Governmental Subsidies and Contracts.” This triggers a 14% drop in Tesla’s stock.
8:10 PM IST (6:40 PM EST): Musk’s Epstein Bombshell
In a stunning escalation, Musk posts on X, alleging without evidence that Trump’s name is in unreleased Jeffrey Epstein files, writing, “Time to drop the really big bomb: @realDonaldTrump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public. Have a nice day, DJT!” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt dismisses the claim as baseless, calling it an “unfortunate episode” from Musk.
9:06 PM IST (7:36 PM EST): Trump Shrugs Off the Betrayal
Trump posts on Truth Social, downplaying Musk’s attacks: “I don’t mind Elon turning against me, but he should have done so months ago.” He defends his bill as “one of the Greatest Bills ever presented to Congress,” touting $1.6 trillion in expense cuts and the largest tax cut in history.
9:09 PM IST (7:39 PM EST): Musk Threatens SpaceX’s Dragon
Reacting to Trump’s contract threats, Musk tweets, “In light of the President’s statement about cancellation of my government contracts, @SpaceX will begin decommissioning its Dragon spacecraft immediately.” The Dragon is critical for NASA’s ISS missions, making this a bold retaliatory move. Two minutes later, Musk retweets a call for Trump’s impeachment, adding “Yes,” endorsing Vice President JD Vance as a replacement.
9:29 PM IST (7:59 PM EST): Musk Slams Trump’s Tariffs
Musk shifts gears, criticizing Trump’s proposed tariffs by resharing a post calling them “stupid” and warning, “The Trump tariffs will cause a recession in the second half of this year.” He continues retweeting anti-Trump posts, often with laughing emojis or comments like, “If America goes broke, nothing else matters.”
2:20 AM IST, June 6 (12:50 AM EST, June 6): Musk Backs Down
After a user with a small following urges Musk and Trump to “cool off and take a step back,” Musk responds, “Good advice. Ok, we won’t decommission Dragon.” He also agrees with billionaire Bill Ackman’s call for peace, replying, “You’re not wrong,” signaling a potential de-escalation.
The Fallout and Reactions
The feud sent shockwaves through markets and politics. Tesla’s stock drop cost Musk $8.73 billion in net worth, while SpaceX’s role in US space missions hung in the balance. Social media erupted with memes comparing the spat to “Alien vs. Predator” or a “Kendrick vs. Drake” rap battle, with some, like Musk’s estranged daughter Vivian Jenna Wilson, calling it “such beauty in life.” Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel reveled in the drama, joking, “This is so hard on everyone, except me of course. This is great for me.”
Looking Ahead
White House aides scheduled a call between Trump and Musk on June 6, 2025, to broker peace, with Trump downplaying the feud, saying, “Oh it’s okay.” However, with Musk claiming he secured Trump’s 2024 victory through $277 million in donations and voter giveaways, and Trump’s bill facing Senate scrutiny, the rift could have lasting implications for policy and Republican unity. As Musk noted on X, “Trump has 3.5 years left as president, but I will be around for 40-plus years,” hinting at a prolonged rivalry.
This clash between two titans—once dubbed “two brothers” in a February 2025 Fox News interview—shows how quickly alliances can crumble when egos and billions collide. Whether they reconcile or continue sparring, the world will be watching.
Last Updated on: Friday, June 6, 2025 7:46 pm by Ankur Srivastava | Published by: Lokram Chittiboina on Friday, June 6, 2025 3:42 pm | News Categories: News
About The Author
Leave a Reply