Donald Trump insiders claim he's 'annoyed' with Elon Musk amid transition team drama: 'It could go ugly'

PALM BEACH, FLORIDA: The political bromance between President-elect Donald Trump and Elon Musk seems to be hitting a rocky patch, as insiders reveal the MAGA spearhead is growing increasingly annoyed with the billionaire's larger-than-life presence.

The Tesla CEO, who poured $150 million into the Republican's 2024 presidential campaign and championed his cause relentlessly on his social media platform, X (formerly Twitter), has apparently become both a key ally and a source of frustration.

Tension within Donald Trump's transition team

Sources close to Donald Trump’s transition team describe a strange dynamic brewing. The tech billionaire’s omnipresence and flair for controversy have reportedly begun to grate on the president-elect, who famously prefers to be the singular star of any show.

"100 percent Trump is annoyed," one insider who worked on the 2024 campaign told Mediaite. "There’s a Chinese saying: 'Two tigers cannot live on one mountaintop.'" 

The friction reportedly reached a boiling point last week when Musk and GOP rising star Vivek Ramaswamy voiced support for foreign worker visas—something that enraged MAGA immigration hardliners like Steve Bannon. 

Furthermore, some prominent Trump supporters, like conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer, accused Musk of retaliating against critics by revoking their verification badges on X.

The SpaceX founder didn’t exactly take the criticism lying down. He doubled down on his support for H1B visas, citing their role in bolstering America's tech and entrepreneurial landscape.

"The reason I’m in America along with so many critical people who built SpaceX, Tesla, and hundreds of other companies that made America strong is because of H1B. Take a big step back and F*** YOURSELF in the face. I will go to war on this issue the likes of which you cannot possibly comprehend," Musk wrote on X. 

Bannon fired back by calling Musk a "toddler."

Social media drama triggers crackdown amid growing 'shadow president' chatter involving Elon Musk

Susie Wiles, Donald Trump’s pick for White House chief of staff, issued a stern memo on Sunday, December 29, warning team members to steer clear of social media controversies. She made it clear that no public posts or comments would be allowed without prior approval from the incoming White House counsel.

Musk, despite being close to Trump, does not have an official position in the administration. Instead, he and Ramaswamy will co-lead a non-governmental agency tasked with slashing government spending.

Speculation that the Tesla CEO is angling for a role as Trump’s "shadow president" has grown louder in recent weeks, enough so that Trump himself addressed the chatter at a recent event.

"He’s not going to be president, that I can tell you. You know why he can’t be [president]? He wasn’t born in this country," the president-elect quipped. 

Having said that, insiders suggest the alliance between the two men has always been precarious.

"There was likely an allure to it in the beginning, but it seemed like it could go ugly. Trump is Trump. I think it’s just the way Trump is. Someone that is around that much and having influence would be a bother," one more tipster shared. 

"I mean the guy came in, gave a boatload of money, and wants to take over the place," they added. The source noted that they don’t think Musk has "bad intentions," but "you also can’t just inject a shadow president somewhere." 

The Donald Trump show has only one star

Despite Elon Musk’s outsized personality and influence, sources close to him insist the president-elect remains firmly in control.

"The media is portraying him as a co-president. Musk is a character actor. There is only one executive producer, one lead in this TV show, and that is Trump. Elon will have his role, his focuses, but he is meant to disrupt the status quo in Washington, and Trump is weaponizing him," one insider scoffed. 

Another source stated, "The only one to move the MAGA movement is Trump. Elon will be able to amplify the message."

For all Musk’s wealth and influence, those close to Trump warn that he’s not immune to being sidelined if he continues to frustrate the president-elect.

"Unless you’re family, you’re not family," one source declared.  

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