President Donald Trump floated that his bromance with Elon Musk was over after the former ‘first buddy’ went on a social media tear over the Republicans’ ‘big beautiful bill.’ 

On Thursday, Musk had highlighted several of the Trump’s vintage tweets demanding that lawmakers not be eligible for reelection if they don’t balance the budget and shaming Republicans for extending the debt ceiling. 

Trump was asked about Musk’s recent criticism during his Thursday Oval Office meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. 

‘Elon and I had a great relationship. I don’t know if we will any more, I was surprised,’ Trump told reporters. 

The president suggested that Musk was angry – not over the bill ballooning the deficit – but because the Trump administration has pulled back on electric vehicle mandates, which negatively impacted Tesla, and replaced the Musk-approved nominee to lead NASA, which could hinder SpaceX’s government contracts.

‘And you know, Elon’s upset because we took the EV mandate, which was a lot of money for electric vehicles, and they’re having a hard time the electric vehicles and they want us to pay billions of dollars in subsidy,’ Trump said. ‘I know that disburbed him.’

Over the weekend, Trump pulled the nomination of Jared Isaacman to lead NASA. Isaacman had worked alongside Musk at SpaceX.

‘He recommended somebody that I guess he knew very well, I’m sure he respected him, to run NASA and I didn’t think it was appropriate and he happened to be a Democrat, like totally Democrat,’ Trump continued. ‘We won, we get certain privileges and one of the privileges is we don’t have to appoint a Democrat.’ 

Musk posted to X as Trump’s Q&A with reporters was ongoing. 

‘Whatever,’ the billionaire wrote. 

‘Keep the EV/solar incentive cuts in the bill, even though no oil & gas subsidies are touched (very unfair!!), but ditch the MOUNTAIN of DISGUSTING PORK in the bill,’ he advised. 

‘In the entire history of civilization, there has never been legislation that [is] both big and beautiful. Everyone knows this!’ Musk continued. ‘Either you get a big and ugly bill or a slim and beautiful bill. Slim and beautiful is the way.’ 

In the Oval, Trump insisted that Musk knew the contents of the bill before the House passed it. Trump is now pushing Republican senators to sign on, so he can sign it before the Fourth of July holiday.  

‘He became a little bit different. I can understand that. But he knew every aspect of this bill. He knew it better than almost anybody, and he never had a problem until right after he left,’ Trump protested. 

At the top of Musk’s X profile on Thursday, the billionaire had pinned a tweet that said ‘Wise words,’ highlighting a Trump tweet from 2013 that said, ‘I cannot believe the Republicans are extending the debt ceiling—I am a Republican & I am embarrassed!’

Trump noted that until recently Musk had ‘said the most beautiful things about me.’

The president also pointed out that, so far, Musk hasn’t personally disparaged Trump. 

‘He has not said that about me personally. I’m sure that’ll be next,’ the president continued.

‘I’m very disappointed in Elon. I’ve helped Elon a lot,’ Trump added. 

He pushed that Musk has been disappointed by life outside the White House.  

‘I think he got out there and all of the sudden he wasn’t in this beautiful office,’ Trump said. 

The president’s comments come less than a week after he feted Musk in the Oval Office, giving him an official farewell as the billionaire moved out of special government employee status and back into the private sector. 

Trump noted that he had given Musk a ‘wonderful send-off.’  

‘Remember, he was here for a long time. You saw a man who was very happy. He stood behind the Oval desk. Even with a black eye,’ Trump said. ‘I said, “do you want a little makeup?” And he said, “No I don’t think so,” which was interesting and very nice.’

‘He wants to be who he is,’ Trump added.