Reuters. U.S. President Donald Trump suggested on Tuesday (July 1) that his efficiency department should take a look at the subsidies that Tesla CEO Elon Musk's companies have received in order to save the federal government "BIG" money.
"Elon may get more subsidy than any human being in history, by far, and without subsidies, Elon would probably have to close up shop and head back home to South Africa. No more Rocket launches, Satellites, or Electric Car Production, and our Country would save a FORTUNE. Perhaps we should have DOGE take a good, hard, look at this? BIG MONEY TO BE SAVED!!!," Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
Musk responded on X soon after, saying: “I am literally saying CUT IT ALL. Now.”
Trump's comments come after Musk renewed his criticism on Monday (June 30) of the U.S. president's sweeping tax-cut and spending bill, vowing to unseat lawmakers who backed it after campaigning on limiting government spending. In a social media post on X, he said the lawmakers should “hang their head in shame”. He also called for “a new political party that actually cares about the people”.
Musk's criticism of the bill has caused a rift in his relationship with Trump, marking a dramatic shift after the tech billionaire spent nearly $300 million on Trump's re-election campaign and led the administration's controversial Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a federal cost-cutting initiative.
