WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump expressed sharp disappointment on Thursday over Elon Musk’s public condemnation of his signature policy bill, signaling a possible rupture in their once-close relationship.
Speaking from the Oval Office with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz seated silently beside him, Trump did not hold back. “Look, Elon and I had a great relationship. I don’t know if we will anymore. I was surprised,” he told reporters, responding to Musk’s recent comments labeling the president’s tax and spending package a “disgusting abomination.”
The bill, a cornerstone of Trump’s second-term agenda, has become a political flashpoint, especially after Musk called on Republicans to kill it and replace it with a fiscally responsible alternative.
“I’m very disappointed, because Elon knew the inner workings of this bill better than almost anybody sitting here… All of a sudden, he had a problem,” Trump added.
The fallout marks a dramatic shift from the camaraderie displayed just last week, when Trump held a high-profile farewell in the Oval Office for Musk, who had just completed his tenure as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an agency created to streamline federal spending.
Musk surprised many by showing up to the event with a black eye, which he claimed was accidentally caused by his son. Trump recounted the moment with a mix of concern and admiration. “I said, you want a little makeup? We’ll get you a little makeup. But he said, ‘No, I don’t think so,’ which is interesting and very nice. He wants to be who he is.”
While Trump acknowledged that Musk may have felt blindsided by his decision to withdraw a NASA nominee supported by the tech mogul, he insisted that such disagreements shouldn’t have led to a public clash.
At 78, Trump appears to be banking heavily on the passage of what he has dubbed his “big, beautiful bill” to define his legacy and boost Republican fortunes in the 2026 midterm elections. Musk’s fierce opposition now threatens to stir further division within the party and among key donors.
Whether the long-standing Trump-Musk alliance can weather this political storm remains to be seen. For now, one thing is clear: the bromance between Washington’s most powerful figure and Silicon Valley’s most influential entrepreneur is officially on ice.