President Donald Trump said he was “very disappointed” in Elon Musk after the Tesla and SpaceX CEO slammed the administration’s proposed “Big Beautiful Bill” as a “disgusting abomination.” Speaking alongside German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Trump expressed surprise at Musk’s remarks, noting their close past relationship and Musk’s support during the 2024 election, including a $250 million contribution and a role leading a federal anti-waste initiative.
Trump suggested Musk’s anger may stem from recent policy shifts, including reversing Biden-era electric vehicle targets and pulling Musk’s recommendation, Jared Isaacman, as NASA nominee. The president claimed Musk had knowledge of the bill and had no prior objections.
Musk pushed back, calling Trump’s comments “false” and saying he was never shown the bill. The clash escalated, with Musk threatening to decommission SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft and floating J.D. Vance as a possible Trump replacement. The public feud rattled investors, sending Tesla stock down over 14% and wiping out more than $150 billion in value.
