Tensions have escalated between U.S. President Donald Trump and billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, as the president suggested he might consider deporting the Tesla and SpaceX CEO, following criticism of his administration’s key spending bill.
Speaking to reporters at the White House on Tuesday, Trump responded to a question about whether he would contemplate deporting the South African-born business magnate, saying:
“I don’t know. We’ll have to take a look,” Trump said. “We might have to put DOGE on Elon. You know what DOGE is? DOGE is the monster that might have to go back and eat Elon.”
The president was referring to the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a controversial federal agency Musk briefly led before stepping down in May.
Trump accused Musk of souring on his “One Big Beautiful Bill” because it dropped support for electric vehicles (EVs), a sector in which Musk has heavy financial interests through Tesla.
“He’s losing his EV mandate. He’s very upset about things,” Trump added. “But you know, he could lose a lot more than that. Elon can lose a lot more than that.”
The remarks follow a series of barbs exchanged between the two formerly close allies. Musk, once Trump’s largest donor in the 2024 presidential election, has since turned critic, accusing the administration of abandoning clean energy goals.
In a post on Truth Social late Monday, Trump also said without subsidies, Elon Musk would probably have to close up shop and head back home to South Africa.
Musk, the world’s richest man, has publicly renewed calls for the creation of a third party, tentatively called the “America Party,” if the spending bill passes in its current form. He argues that both major political parties have failed to prioritize America’s leadership in electric vehicles and clean energy innovation.
Once a near-constant figure by Trump’s side early in his presidency, Musk’s falling-out with the administration has quickly turned personal and political, raising fresh questions about his residency status, government contracts, and future influence in Washington.
