WASHINGTON () President Donald Trump hit back at criticism from former adviser Elon Musk on Thursday, saying Musk knew what was in his “big, beautiful” spending bill and only stopped supporting it once he learned of cuts related to electric vehicle funding.

While meeting with new German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Trump said he was “very disappointed” with Musk after the billionaire former supporter and adviser turned against the Republican-backed spending bill. “I’ve helped Elon a lot,” Trump said.

Musk, whose company Tesla is the nation’s largest electric vehicle manufacturer, has called the bill a “disgusting abomination.”

As Trump was speaking from the Oval Office, Musk posted to his social platform, X, “Slim Beautiful Bill for the win.”

Trump said he was unsure if he would continue to have a great relationship with Musk, a powerful ally who has led efforts to reduce government spending. He suggested Musk misses being in the White House and has “Trump Derangement Syndrome.”

Musk, in turn, claimed Trump would never have won a second term in the White House if not for him.

Epstein Files

Later, Musk alleged Trump “is in the Epstein files,” a reference to files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

“Time to drop the really big bomb: @realDonaldTrump is in the Epstein files,” said Musk. “That is the real reason they have not been made public. Have a nice day, DJT!”

Impact on Tesla

Trump on Thursday threatened to cut Elon Musk’s government contracts as their fractured alliance rapidly escalated into a public feud with Trump suggesting he would use the U.S. government to hurt his fellow billionaire financially.

After Trump started speaking about Musk, shares of his electric vehicle company Tesla fell 9%, their latest notable move since the election. The shares doubled in the weeks after Trump was elected, gave back those gains and more during Musk’s time at DOGE and then rallied after he vowed in April to focus much more on Tesla and his other companies.

The Back and Forth

Trump responded to Musk’s criticism on his own social media network Truth Social.

“Elon was “wearing thin,” 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!”

To which Trump replied:

“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!”

Trump’s response:

“I don’t mind Elon turning against me, but he should have done so months ago,” he wrote. “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!”

Later, Musk agreed with a post that said Trump should be impeached and replaced with Vice President JD Vance.

Musk in reply on X says he won’t decommission Dragon

Musk, in a response to Bill Ackman’s earlier X post calling for peace, says, “You’re not wrong.”
Ackman said, “I support @realDonaldTrump and @elonmusk and they should make peace for the benefit of our great country. We are much stronger together than apart.”

Reactions from Washington

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt referred to Musk’s social media posts as an “episode.”

“This is an unfortunate episode from Elon, who is unhappy with the One Big Beautiful Bill because it does not include the policies he wanted. The President is focused on passing this historic piece of legislation and making our country great again,” she said.

A source familiar with the Trump administration said Musk’s Epstein comment was not a new revelation and that the administration itself released those files unredacted.

Speaker of the House Rep. Mike Johnson, R-La., was visiting with Trump at the White House as the feud was escalating in real time. He had not been scheduled to meet with the president but was touring the White House with visiting guests and families.

Later back at the Capitol, cradling the infant of one of his guests, Johnson said he had texted with Musk.

“This isn’t personal. Policy differences shouldn’t be personal,” Johnson said.