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From mutual endorsements and political collaboration to a dramatic public fallout, here’s a timeline capturing the full arc of Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s relationship.
Donald Trump with Elon Musk at the Oval Office (Photo: AP)
Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s alliance took off like one of SpaceX’s rockets. It was supercharged and soared high, but then it blew up.
The spectacular flameout Thursday peaked as Trump threatened to cut Musk’s government contracts and Musk claimed that Trump’s administration hasn’t released all the records related to sex abuser Jeffrey Epstein because Trump is mentioned in them.
The tech entrepreneur even shared a post on social media calling for Trump’s impeachment and skewered the president’s signature tariffs, predicting a recession this year.
The messy blow-up between the president of the United States and the world’s richest man played out on their respective social media platforms after Trump was asked during a White House meeting with Germany’s new leader about Musk’s criticism of his spending bill.
Here’s a timeline of how Trump and Musk evolved into a bromance over the years and how it devolved.
July 13, 2024
Elon Musk posts a video of Trump soon after he was attacked in an assassination bid in Butler, Pennsylvania. In his post, Musk writes, “I fully endorse President Trump and hope for his rapid recovery”. Days later, he announces that he will interview Trump live on X Spaces.
August 12, 2024
Nearly a month after the assassination bid on Trump, Musk hosts an interview with the then-US President-elect on X. During the interview, Trump praised Musk for blasting Kamala Harris, who was then Trump’s opponent.
Days and months on, Musk, at multiple times, was seen with Trump in several of his rallies in Butler. The SpaceX CEO also urged the masses to vote for Trump, making ominous warnings about the consequences of the upcoming election. Musk even said that, according to his prediction, this would be “the last election” if they don’t vote for Trump.
As the US elections drew closer, Federal Election Commission filings showed Musk spent over $270 million of his own money through two super PACs that promoted Trump’s candidacy and other Republicans in the 2024 election.
November 5, 2024
Musk spends election night at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club in Florida. He stays there for the next several days, weighing in on key staffing decisions.
Musk is also present for at least two phone calls Trump had as president-elect, including a call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
November 12, 2024
Nearly a week after the US election, Trump announces that Musk, alongside former GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, would lead a newly created “Department of Government Efficiency.” However, later, Ramaswamy stepped down from the role to run for governor of Ohio. Later that month, Trump joined Musk in Texas for the launch of SpaceX’s Starship rocket.
January 20, 2025
Elon Musk, along with other tech CEOs, was seen taking ringside seats at Trump’s White House inauguration.
February 11, 2025
Musk’s son ‘X’ takes the spotlight as his father and the US President addressed reporters at the Oval Office. Musk defends his aggressive cost-cutting efforts across the federal government, which by that point had prompted a slew of federal lawsuits.
February 26, 2025
Musk takes centre stage at Trump’s first Cabinet meeting of his second term. At the time, DOGE’s actions were the subject of controversy — from efforts to fire federal employees to an email demanding that federal workers list their weekly accomplishments.
When Musk is asked by a reporter if any Cabinet members are unhappy about the email ultimatum, Trump interrupts.
March 6, 2025
Trump tells members of the Cabinet they are in charge of the agencies and departments they oversee, and not Musk. In response, Musk, in an X post, wrote that his meeting with the US President was “very productive”. The meeting came as some Cabinet secretaries had privately expressed frustration over Musk’s efforts to reduce the size and scope of their agencies.
March 11, 2025
Trump hosts a showcase of the Teslas on the White House lawn amid a string of vandalism and other attacks on the cars. Moments later, Trump, who climbs into the front seat of a Tesla for photos, tells reporters he’s bought one of the vehicles himself.
May 27, 2025
In an interview with CBS News, Musk airs his grievances with Trump’s signature bill and says, “I was disappointed to see the massive spending bill, frankly, which increases the budget deficit, not just decreases it, and undermines the work that the DOGE team is doing.”
May 29, 2025
Musk announces he’s departing the White House. As a “special government employee,” he is limited to a 130-day appointment, he clarifies. Meanwhile, White House officials insist Musk is leaving on good terms and would continue to serve as an unofficial adviser to the president. Musk posts on X his thanks to Trump, saying his DOGE team will continue to work throughout the government.
May 31, 2025
At the Oval Office, Musk tells reporters he believes the Department of Government Efficiency will “only grow stronger over time”, but adds he looks forward to being back in the Oval Office.
June 3, 2025
Musk issues a flurry of posts on X attacking the ‘One Big Beautiful Bill Act’ as it awaits a vote in the Senate. “I’m sorry, but I just can’t stand it anymore. This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination,” Musk writes. “Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong. You know it.” Musk claims the bill would “massively increase” the federal budget deficit.
June 4, 2025
Musk continues his attacks on Trump’s bill with a series of posts on social media, instructing followers to call members of Congress to “KILL THE BILL.”
June 5, 2025
The war of words between Elon Musk and Trump erupts into a full-on feud, with Musk slamming Trump for “ingratitude” over the 2024 election, agreeing with a call for his impeachment, knocking the president’s signature legislation and even claiming that Trump is in the Epstein files, referring to accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.
Later in a social media post, Trump states, “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!”
ALSO READ | Donald Trump–Elon Musk Feud Erupts: Public Barbs, Ugly Threats, Impeachment Calls
Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks.
Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks.
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