THE RISE AND FALL OF TRUMP AND MUSK'S PARTNERSHIP

Donald Trump's camaraderie with Elon Musk deepened in 2024 when the Republican leader had been preparing for a second term; the tech billionaire had played a visible role in backing Trump's campaign and policies; seven months later, the bromance began cooling as tensions over a massive spending bill sparked public criticism, which was followed by a bitter fallout

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Last week, the Internet witnessed the spectacular implosion of one of the most unconventional alliances in modern American politics. What had once been an uneasy partnership between the billionaire CEO of Tesla and X, Elon Musk, and U.S. President Donald Trump, blew into a full-blown public feud.

Mr. Musk accused the 78-year-old President of "total ingratitude", posting on X: "Without me, Trump would have lost the election. Dems would control the House and the Republicans would be 51-49 in the Senate."

To this, Mr. Trump shot back on Truth Social, saying, "I would have won Pennsylvania regardless of Elon. I'm very disappointed with Elon."

But the rift had not appeared overnight. Their relationship had been fraying for months quietly at first, then more openly, until it finally collapsed.

A rocky start

Mr. Musk was never a fan of Mr. Trump.

In the lead-up to the 2016 election, Mr. Musk openly supported Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. "I feel a bit stronger that he is not the right guy," he said of Mr. Trump at the time in an interview with CNBC. "He doesn't seem to have the sort of character that reflects well on the United States."

Yet, after Mr. Trump won the election, Mr. Musk joined a handful of White House advisory boards, including Mr. Trump's 'manufacturing jobs council'. The alliance did not last long. Mr. Musk left those roles just months later, citing Mr. Trump's withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accords. "Climate change is real. Leaving Paris is not good for America or the world," he tweeted in June 2017.

Over the years, their paths occasionally crossed, but the relationship remained distant.

In 2020, Mr. Trump, at the SpaceX launch in Florida, praised Mr. Musk, saying: "I speak to him all the time. Great guy. He's one of our great brains. We like great brains. And Elon has done a fantastic job."

Mr. Musk, however, did not reciprocate the praise.