Washington D.C: The ongoing feud between tech billionaire Elon Musk and US President Donald Trump took a dramatic turn this week after Musk alleged, in a now-deleted social media post, that Trump’s name appeared in the Jeffrey Epstein files. Musk suggested that this was the reason the documents were never made public—despite Trump’s earlier promises during his campaign.
“Time to drop the really big bomb: @realDonaldTrump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public. Have a nice day, DJT!”
— Elon Musk in a now-deleted post on X
The post was later removed from Musk’s account, but not before screenshots circulated widely online.
How the Trump-Musk Feud Began:
- The rift began when Musk, shortly after resigning from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), publicly criticised Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful’ spending bill, calling it a “disgusting abomination.”
- Trump responded by expressing his disappointment, highlighting that Musk had been one of his major campaign backers, reportedly spending $300 million on the 2024 presidential election.
From Politics to Personal:
As tensions escalated:
- Trump threatened to revoke all federal contracts involving Musk’s companies.
- Musk threatened to decommission NASA’s Falcon rockets, though he later walked back the claim.
- The two continued exchanging barbs across social media, dragging their personal fallout into public view.
Musk’s Political Maneuvering:
In a bold political move, Musk:
- Launched a poll on X, gauging support for a new political party.
- Reported that 80% of respondents backed the idea.
- Announced the launch of a new political outfit: ‘The America Party’, further deepening the divide between him and the GOP leadership.
Damage Control Efforts:
According to a report by The Financial Times, allies of both Trump and Musk are urging the duo to reconcile. The concern is that this high-profile feud could lead to political fragmentation and commercial fallout, especially with Musk’s influence over tech, space, and digital platforms.
What’s Next:
Neither the White House nor Elon Musk’s team has offered further comment on the Epstein file claims. Trump has not publicly addressed the deleted post, but insiders suggest legal and political advisors are now involved in managing the narrative.