The public and messy feud between President Trump and tech billionaire Elon Musk was reignited this week over the president’s “big, beautiful bill” as Congress works to get the massive package to Trump’s desk by July 4.

Musk on Monday said he would back primary challengers against any Republicans who support Trump’s megabill and promised to donate to lawmakers who have drawn the administration’s ire like Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.). Trump then threatened to cut government contracts for Musk’s companies and left open the possibility of deporting the South African CEO.

Trump and Musk both had signaled they were ready to move on from their bitter fight nearly a month ago, but the president’s megabill that Musk has called “political suicide for the Republican Party” has brought the two men back to snipping.

“I think Washington is confused by the on-off-again relationship between Trump and Musk. It looked like they had patched things up around a month ago,” said Republican strategist Ron Bonjean, adding that the tech billionaire’s posts on the social platform X, which Musk owns, “came out of nowhere for most people” after it seemed like he was “looking to bury the hatchet” in recent weeks.

Trump on Tuesday shrugged off concerns that the GOP could be swayed by Musk’s megabill criticism, but he doubled down on his suggestion that the federal government take a look at the contracts Musk’s companies have. Musk and his businesses have received at least $38 billion in government contracts, loans, subsidies and tax credits over the years, according to a February Washington Post analysis.

“No, I don’t think so. I think what’s going to happen is DOGE is going to look at Musk. And if DOGE looks at Musk, we’re going to save a fortune,” Trump said during a visit to a new migrant detention facility in Florida, referring to the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). “I don’t think he should be playing that game with me.”

It’s a sharp change in tone from the president, who had previously said

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