Donald Trump says Elon Musk has ‘lost his mind’ and dismisses peace offering

7 June, 2025 | Filed under: All News,more news,RECENT POSTS | Posted by:

Trump says he is ‘not particularly’ interested in reconciling with Musk, who reportedly wanted to speak to president

side by side images two men looking at each other

Trump v Musk: 10 ways they can further hurt each other

In a series of phone calls to US media on Friday morning, Trump snapped back at Musk, after the tech mogul and Republican financier launched an extraordinary social media attack on the president the day before, which ended with him accusing Trump of being named in the so-called “Epstein files” – documents related to the convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Trump went on his Truth social platform on Friday and posted a statement attributed to the Epstein criminal defense attorney David Schoen that vehemently denied Musk’s accusation.

“I can say authoritatively, unequivocally and definitively that [Epstein] had no information to hurt President Trump,” Schoen’s statement said. “I specifically asked him!”

The row between Musk and Trump, who were near-constant companions during the later stages of the latter’s presidential campaign in 2024 and his first months back in the White House, showed no sign of abating, with Musk’s self-proclaimed status as “first buddy” rapidly disappearing in the rear-view mirror.

Trump, who is not known to take criticism well, made his displeasure clear on Friday, doubling down on his newfound hostility to Musk, who spent nearly $300m to elect the 78-year-old. In an interview with ABC News, Trump was asked about reports of a potentially peacemaking phone call scheduled with Musk for later in the day, to which Trump responded, “You mean the man who has lost his mind?” and added that he was “not particularly” interested in talking to his former confidant right now.

The president also spoke to CNN, saying: “I’m not even thinking about Elon. He’s got a problem. The poor guy’s got a problem,” and told Politico that the relationship with Musk was “going very well, never done better”. The New York Times reported , in private conversations, that Trump had attributed Musk’s behavior to drug use.

As well as giving many people a reason to return to X – the social media site Musk owns and where he has recently been amplifying rightwing, pro-Trump views – the bitter fight could heavily affect the political landscape.

Musk suggested starting a new political party, one “that actually represents the 80% in the middle”, and, given his wealth, he would be able to pump millions into next year’s midterm elections, potentially influencing races across the country.

In the space industry, meanwhile, Nasa has become increasingly reliant on Musk’s SpaceX company, with the Dragon spacecraft being used to transport the agency’s astronauts to and from the International Space Station, and Musk pledged to decommission the Dragon in the wake of the Trump fight. He quickly signalled an about-face, but it was a reminder of Musk’s influence, which is further bolstered by the key role the Starlink satellite broadband platform plays in Ukraine’s fight against the Russian invasion.

Trump, meanwhile, threatened to cancel Musk’s US government contracts, and the president’s ally Steve Bannon suggested that Musk, a South African-born American citizen, “should be deported from the country immediately”. In a sign of the immediate impact on Musk, his net worth fell by $33bn on Thursday alone, while Tesla’s shares initially dropped by about 14.2%, wiping roughly $152bn off the value of the company.

The rolling quarrel began after Musk criticized Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” – tax and spending legislation that experts say would add $2.4tn to the national debt, strip more than 10 million people of their health insurance and enshrine tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans. Trump said he was “very disappointed in Elon” over the criticism, as Musk said Trump’s trade policies would cause a recession, before the dispute escalated wildly.

Many had predicted that the relationship between Musk and Trump, two men known for their large egos and unpredictable behavior, could not last, but the sheer level of vitriol stunned Americans and would seem to make a reconciliation unlikely.

Musk did at least appear to proffer an olive branch in a reply to a post from the hedge fund owner Bill Ackman, who called on Trump and Musk to “make peace for the benefit of our great country”, but on Friday Susie Wiles, the White House chief of staff, told NBC News “there are no plans” for a call between the two men.

In the meantime, it was business as usual for Trump on Friday, with the president offering a series of misleading takes on the US job market, which new figures show slowed in May. Musk was unusually quiet on social media, as Tesla’s shares rebounded somewhat from Thursday’s loss, rising by 6%, although at least one customer seemed keen to divest from the company: the White House said on Friday that Trump plans to sell his Tesla Model S.

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Trump v Musk: 10 ways they can further hurt each other

The falling-out between the world’s richest person and the president of the world’s largest economy will have consequences – for both of them.

Elon Musk, as the boss of multiple companies including Tesla, and Donald Trump, who has benefited from Musk’s support in his journey to the White House, have had a mutually beneficial relationship up until now.Here are 10 ways in which Musk and Trump could hurt each other if they fail to broker a peace deal.What Trump could do to Musk

Cancel government contracts related to Musk’s businesses

Responding to Musk’s criticism of his tax and spending bill, Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform on Thursday that cancelling the billionaire’s government contracts would be a straightforward way to save money.

“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 said.

In 2024, the New York Times reported that Musk’s companies – which include electric vehicle maker Tesla and rocket company SpaceX – have over the past year been promised $3bn across nearly 100 different contracts with 17 federal agencies.

Investigate Musk’s alleged drug use

The New York Times and the Wall Street Journal have made allegations of heavy drug use by Musk, raising questions about Nasa requirements for its contractors – including SpaceX – to maintain a drug-free workforce. The Times alleged that Musk has received advanced warning of the tests. SpaceX has been contacted for comment.

Responding to the Times allegations on X last month, Musk wrote: “to be clear, I am NOT taking drugs!” In 2024 he said he sometimes used ketamine on a doctor’s prescription.

Challenge Musk’s immigration status

Steve Bannon, a Trump ally and influential “alt-right” figure, told the Times on Thursday that Musk’s immigration status should be investigated.

“They should initiate a formal investigation of his immigration status, because I am of the strong belief that he is an illegal alien, and he should be deported from the country immediately,” Bannon said of South Africa-born Musk, who is a US citizen.

Use general presidential powers against Musk

When Trump was elected, observers pointed to the myriad ways in which a Musk-friendly White House administration could benefit the financial interests of the world’s richest person. That benign environment, which includes awarding of government contracts and directing federal agencies giving Musk’s businesses an easier ride, could of course be turned hostile.

Richard Pierce, a law professor at George Washington University and a specialist in government regulation, told the Guardian at the time: “All federal regulators and prosecutors work for the president. He can tell them to do something or not to do something with the understanding that he will fire them if they disobey.”

Ostracise Musk from the Maga movement

Trump, as the leader of the “Make America great again” vanguard, can close doors on Musk. The Republican congressman Troy Nehls excoriated the billionaire on Thursday, telling him: ““You’ve lost your damn mind.” He added: “Enough is enough.”

Musk can handle such opprobrium and, given his considerable wealth, he is an important source of funding for Republican politicians.

What Musk could do to Trump

Turn X against the White House

Musk used his X platform, and his more than 220 million followers on it, to rally support for Trump’s victory in the 2024. It also provided a platform for rightwing views that helped publicise the Maga agenda.

Theoretically, Musk could at least use his own X account to criticise Trump with as much regularity as he pumped the president’s policies (the Tesla chief executive is a prolific user of his own platform).

However, this also depends on Musk’s influence with the US electorate. Five out of 10 US adults say they have an unfavourable view of Musk, according to the Pew Research Center. But it should be noted that seven out of 10 Republicans or Republican-leaning adults hold a favourable view – he’s not going to sway many Democrats who dislike Trump anyway.

Form a new political movement

Musk, who is worth more than $300bn (£220bn), could divert his considerable financial resources away from the Republican party and start a new political entity. Musk spent $250m on getting Trump elected in 2024, signalling his willingness to invest heavily in politics.

On Thursday he posted a poll on X and asked: “Is it time to create a new political party in America that actually represents the 80% in the middle?” More than 80% of the 4.8 million respondents voted “yes”.

Create geopolitical problems with his businesses

The Starlink satellite broadband platform, owned by Musk’s SpaceX, is playing a key rule in Ukraine’s fight against a Russian invasion, while China is an important manufacturing and consumer base for Tesla. Through his businesses, Musk also has political contacts around the world and is regularly photographed in the company of global leaders. However, any damage Musk causes to Trump’s international standing or interests will have to be balanced with any knock-on effect on his own businesses.

Create problems for Nasa

Nasa has a close relationship with Musk’s SpaceX, with the company’s Dragon spacecraft being used to transport the agency’s astronauts to and from the International Space Station. Musk immediately pledged to decommission Dragon in the wake of the Trump spat on Thursday – before quickly signalling an about-face. Nonetheless, SpaceX is a crucial part of Nasa’s ISS operations.

Tell-all on Trump

Musk has been a fixture of Trump’s inner circle for a considerable period of time and, as the contents of his X account show, he is capable of taking multiple damaging swipes at people. However, members of Trump’s inner circle will have had the same access to Musk, whose personal life is becoming a media staple.

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1. Reader funding means we can cover what we like. We’re not beholden to the political whims of a billionaire owner. No-one can tell us what not to say or what not to report.

2. Reader funding means we don’t have to chase clicks and traffic. We’re not desperately seeking your attention for its own sake: we pursue the stories that our editorial team deems important, and believe are worthy of your time.

3. Reader funding means we can keep our website open, allowing as many people as possible to read quality journalism from around the world – especially people who live in places where the free press is in peril.

Right now, the Guardian’s work is funded by just 2.4% of our regular readers. We know not everyone can afford to pay for news – but readers like you in Sweden make a real difference. If you’ve been meaning to support us, now’s the moment. It’s your last chance to get 30% off a monthly All-access digital subscription for three months, or save more with an annual plan.

Your support powers our most vital, fearless journalism — and this soon-to-end offer helps it go even further. As a thank you, you’ll unlock great benefits (including making these messages disappear). It only takes a minute to set up. We hope you’ll consider it before the offer ends. Thank you.

Source:theguardian.com/