Markets in Turmoil as Elon Musk and Donald Trump Engage in Bitter Feud
AI-summarised brief · reviewed before publication
The fragile truce between Elon Musk and President Donald Trump has come to an abrupt end, with the two engaging in a heated exchange over the weekend. Following the Senate's narrow passage of a procedural vote to debate Trump's "Big, Beautiful Bill" on Saturday, Musk took to social media on Monday to announce that he would be using his vast resources to launch primary campaigns against Republicans in Congress who voted in favor of the massive domestic policy agenda. Musk spent much of Monday and early Tuesday morning posting and re-posting messages that strongly criticized the tax cut and spending bill, particularly its high cost. He argued that the bill would have far-reaching and devastating consequences for the US economy. In response, Trump fired back late Monday night, suggesting that his administration may investigate Musk's companies' massive government contracts. Speaking at the White House on Tuesday, Trump warned Musk that he risked losing "a lot more" than just government subsidies. The feud between the two has not yet reached the same level of vitriol as their public spat last month, when Musk accused Trump of withholding information about disgraced financier and convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. Musk later deleted some of his most inflammatory posts, including the one relating to Epstein, and softened his tone on Trump and the bill. However, Musk's latest outburst has marked a dramatic shift in his stance, with him once again taking aim at Trump and his signature legislation. It remains to be seen how far this feud will escalate and what consequences it may have for Musk's companies and the broader tech industry.