Trump works to turn page amid Musk fallout
PRESIDENT TRUMP says he’s moving on from his nasty feud with Elon Musk, a day after the U.S. president and world’s richest man gripped Washington and the world with their lacerating insults and threats.
In a series of interviews, Trump sought to change the story, focusing on his agenda bill in Congress, talking up Friday’s solid jobs report and pointing to the stock market rally. The rally was driven in part by a surge in Tesla shares, which had plunged at the onset of the Trump-Musk feud.
“I’m not even thinking about Elon,” Trump told CNN’s Dana Bash in a phone interview.
“I won’t be speaking to him for a while I guess, but I wish him well,” he added.
However, even Trump’s dismissals came with some pointed barbs.
Trump told ABC News that Musk had "lost his mind."
“He’s got a problem,” Trump told CNN. “The poor guys’ got a problem.”
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The latest in politics and policy. Direct to your inbox. Sign up for the Evening Report newsletter SubscribeThere were early media reports about White House aides scrambling to set up a call between Trump and Musk, but it does not appear the two men will speak directly to clear the air.
On Thursday, their social media beef reached a fever pitch when Musk alleged Trump had ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and Trump threatened to kill government contracts for Musk’s businesses.
Musk also mused about a third-party to challenge Trump, and said the president never would have been elected if not for him.
Musk on Friday extended a bit of an olive branch, replying “true” to a post on X saying they needed to “make peace for the benefit of our country.”
Still, the bad blood lingers.
The White House said Trump plans to either give away or sell his Tesla.
And Musk posted on X, saying he’ll “be around for 40 years” after Trump leaves office.
Congressional Republicans lamented the nasty break up.
“I hope they reconcile,” said Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.). "I believe in redemption.”
Still, Johnson and most Republicans put the blame squarely on Musk.
“Do not doubt and do not second guess and don’t ever challenge the president United States, Donald Trump,” Johnson said. “He is the leader of the party, he’s the most consequential political figure of this generation, in probably the modern era, and he’s doing an excellent job for the people.”
Even if Trump and Musk bury the hatchet, the rupture is likely to resonate for some time on the right, which is torn between a deep skepticism of Silicon Valley and enthusiasm for the new breed of Libertarian-styled tech leaders.
Trump’s former adviser Steve Bannon, who warned Trump against partnering with Musk from the start, declared “war” on Musk, while calling on Trump to retaliate by nationalizing Musk’s Space X and Starlink companies.
TRUMP AGENDA BILL SPARKED IMPLOSION
The personal nature of the insults obscured the fact that it was a disagreement over spending and debt in the Trump agenda bill that first sparked the fight, with Musk railing against the GOP’s “big, beautiful bill” over forecasts it will add trillions to the national deficit.
"I don’t mind Elon turning against me, but he should have done so months ago," Trump posted on Truth Social. "This is one of the Greatest Bills ever presented to Congress."
Trump and his administration have cast Musk’s criticism as sour grapes stemming from the bill’s elimination of electric vehicle subsidies, which are utilized by Tesla.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News’s Sean Hannity that Musk leaving the White House to return to running Tesla was behind his criticism of the bill.
“The only difference…is Elon went back to his companies,” Leavitt said. “And, as a businessman, he has a right to speak for his companies. But as president, President Trump has a responsibility to fight for this country.”
Musk denies this, posting on X that he’d gladly give up the subsidies if the GOP would abandon its “pork barrel spending.”
Regardless, Musk’s opposition mirrors criticism from GOP fiscal hawks in Congress at a fraught time for Trump’s agenda bill.
The Hill’s Alexander Bolton writes:
“Problems are multiplying for Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) and other Senate negotiators in their bid to pass legislation to enact President Trump’s agenda by July 4.”
In addition to debt concerns, debate is raging among Republicans over spending cuts to Medicaid, Medicare and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. A compromise to lift the the cap on state and local tax deductions appears to be in peril.
Senate Republicans can only afford three defections, and there are at least two hard no votes at this point, with Sens. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) saying they won’t vote for the bill at current spending and debt levels.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), who voted for the bill last month, has flipped to a no vote, narrowing the margin in the House if the reconciled package is sent back to the lower chamber.
💡Perspectives:
• The Guardian: The inevitable Trump-Musk feud is pathetic.
• © The Hill
