Trump and Musk swap insults as rift grows

A feud erupted between Donald Trump and Elon Musk yesterday, when the president said he was "very disappointed" by his former adviser's opposition to his top legislative priority and claimed he had asked him to leave the White House.

- Chris Stein

Musk fired back that Trump would have lost the election without his funding.

The falling out came days after Musk had quit as head of Trump's "department of Government Efficiency" and then pivoted to attacking the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which would extend tax cuts, describing it as a "disgusting abomination".

Tesla's CEO has focused his complaints on the bill's cost, which the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates will add $2.4tn to the deficit over a decade. But Trump accused him of turning against it because of provisions revoking incentives to buy electric vehicles.

Trump expressed disappointment in his former "first buddy" and said "he knew every aspect of this bill. He knew it better than almost anybody, and he never had a problem until right after he left." "Look, Elon and I had a great relationship. I don't know if we will any more," Trump said. "He said the most beautiful things about me, and he hasn't said bad things about me personally, but I'm sure that'll be next.

But I'm very disappointed in Elon.

I've helped Elon a lot.

"He's not the first," Trump added.