Disappointed Trump blames Musk’s outburst on ‘Trump derangement syndrome’, says their bond may be broken

WASHINGTON, DC: A public feud erupted this week between President Donald Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, ending what was once a friendly rapport between two of the country’s most high-profile figures.

The spat was triggered by Musk’s fiery condemnation of Trump’s flagship “Big Beautiful Bill,” a sweeping tax-and-spending package that recently squeaked through the House and is now under Senate review.

Donald Trump fires back at Elon Musk

On X, Elon Musk didn’t hold back, calling the bill “a disgusting abomination.” He claimed, “This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination. Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong. You know it.”

“I just can’t stand it anymore,” Musk posted. 

After Musk's criticism, Trump accused the Tesla CEO of suffering from “Trump Derangement Syndrome” and expressed personal disappointment over Musk’s increasingly vocal opposition to his administration’s headline economic legislation.

Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump took aim at his former supporter, “He’s not the first – people leave my administration, and they love us, and then at some point they miss it so badly, and some of them embrace it, and some of them actually become hostile. I don’t know what it is. It’s sort of ‘Trump derangement syndrome,’ I guess they call it, but we have it with others too.”

Trump told reporters, “They leave, and they wake up in the morning, and the glamour is gone. The whole world is different, and they become hostile. I don’t know what it is.”

Donald Trump suggests Elon Musk's outburst stems from loss of EV subsidies

Responding to Elon Musk’s criticism during a press event with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Trump defended the bill and suggested Musk’s outburst was driven by disappointment over lost incentives and influence.

“Elon is upset because we took the EV mandate, which was a lot of money for electric vehicles, and they're having a hard time, the electric vehicles. And they want us to pay billions of dollars in subsidy. And, you know, Elon knew this from the beginning. He knew it for a long time ago,” Trump explained.

The president also claimed Musk had lobbied for a personal friend and businessman to be nominated as NASA administrator, saying, “I know that disturbed him. He wanted, rightfully, he recommended somebody from that he, I guess, knew very well. I'm sure he respected him, but to run NASA, and I didn't think was appropriate. And he happened to be a Democrat, like totally Democrat. And I say, you know, we won. We get certain privileges, and one of the privileges we don't have to appoint a Democrat. NASA is very important. We have great people.”

Trump highlighted the bill’s record-breaking achievements, calling it “the biggest tax cut in American history,” and cited favorable projections from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), despite the organization’s alleged political leanings.

“I’m right about the Big Beautiful Bill,” he said. “We call it a great Big Beautiful Bill because that's what it is. And again, biggest tax cuts in history, biggest economic development moves anywhere. We've never done anything like it.”

Donald Trump 'disappointed' by Elon Musk's comments

Donald Trump expressed disappointment in Elon Musk’s recent remarks, saying, “I've always liked Elon, and I was very surprised. You saw the words he had for me, the words, and he hasn't said anything about me that's bad. I'd rather have him criticize me than the bill because the bill is incredible. It's the biggest cut in the history of our country. We've never cut— it's about 1.6 trillion in cuts.”

The president, however, acknowledged the potential end of their relationship. “Elon and I had a great relationship. I don’t know if we will anymore. Everybody in this room practically was here as we had a wonderful send-off. He said wonderful things about me. You couldn't have nicer. He said the best things, he's worn that hat, “Trump was right about everything.”

Elon Musk shrugs off remarks, renews attack on bill

Elon Musk appeared unfazed by Donald Trump’s remarks. Replying with a curt “whatever,” the SpaceX and Tesla chief doubled down on his position, saying he supported cuts to EV and solar incentives if they were accompanied by cuts to fossil fuel subsidies, which remained untouched in the bill.

“Keep the EV/solar incentive cuts in the bill, even though no oil & gas subsidies are touched (very unfair!!), but ditch the MOUNTAIN of DISGUSTING PORK,” Musk posted on X.

He also added, “In the entire history of civilization, there has never been legislation that both big and beautiful. Everyone knows this! Either you get a big and ugly bill or a slim and beautiful bill. Slim and beautiful is the way.” 

On Thursday, June 6, Musk resurfaced a past tweet from President Trump, where Trump had criticized Republicans in 2013 for extending the debt ceiling, calling it an embarrassment at the time. Musk posted the old remark with a simple nod, “Wise words,” hinting at Trump's shift in stance, now advocating for scrapping the debt ceiling altogether.

Musk didn’t stop there. He also showed support for a 2012 Trump tweet that said, “No member of Congress should be eligible for re-election if our country's budget is not balanced---deficits not allowed!” 

Musk later claimed he never saw the bill, saying, "It was passed in the dead of night so fast that almost no one in Congress could even read it."

Internet erupts as Donald Trump hits back at Elon Musk’s 'big beautiful bill' criticism 

Donald Trump loyalists and supporters took to social media in full force, rallying behind the president and blasting Elon Musk for what they see as shifting loyalties and self-serving motives.

One user urged fellow MAGA supporters, saying, “If you are a MAGA voter and purchased @Tesla stock to help Elon out, sell it all now!”

Another highlighted Trump’s frustration, writing, “Trump's disappointment with Elon is understandable. It's frustrating when someone you've helped suddenly changes their stance, especially when it's influenced by personal interests like EV mandates.”

“Never forget that Elon was serving on a committee during Trump's first term, and then left because things weren't going the way Elon expected,” another commented.

And one user summed up, “Trump is the leader, not you. He will not let the White House be your property to enrich yourself. He puts America First,” while the other user wrote, “Wow I guess Elon is someone we can’t trust. This is inappropriate, it’s unprofessional and it’s supremely disrespectful to every person in the country. Most of us don’t harm people we call friends especially when here stakes are this high. I am complete repulsed and disgusted.”

Another user added, “Elon is simply embarrassing Trump at this point.”

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