NEW YORK — A social media post by Elon Musk alleging that President Donald Trump appears in files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has been removed from the X platform, marking the latest escalation in a public feud between the tech billionaire and the president.
The controversial post, which Musk published on X without providing supporting evidence, claimed that Trump’s alleged connection to Epstein files was preventing their public release. The message stated that Trump “is in the Epstein files” and asserted this was “the real reason they have not been made public,” concluding with a prediction that “the truth will come out.”
The White House quickly dismissed Musk’s unsubstantiated allegation through Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, who characterized the claim as stemming from Musk’s dissatisfaction with the administration’s legislative agenda. The post disappeared from X by Sunday, with users attempting to access the message receiving an error notification stating the page no longer existed.
The deleted post represented the culmination of a dramatic public breakdown in relations between Musk and Trump that began Thursday when the Tesla and SpaceX chief executive criticized the president’s signature tax and spending legislation. Musk described the proposed bill as a “big ugly spending bill” in a series of messages posted on his social media platform.
President Trump responded on Truth Social, claiming that Musk had been “wearing thin” and asserting that he had “asked him to leave” his government position as a special government employee. Musk denied being dismissed from the role, which he had vacated just days earlier.
The escalating exchange prompted Musk to make his unverified claim about Trump’s alleged connection to Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced financier who died by suicide in his jail cell in August 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges involving minors.
Leavitt’s official response emphasized that the president remained focused on passing his legislative priorities despite what she termed “an unfortunate episode from Elon.” She suggested Musk’s criticism stemmed from the spending bill’s failure to include policies he had advocated for during his brief government tenure.
The public dispute between the two prominent figures had immediate financial consequences, with Tesla shares plummeting 14.3 percent on Thursday and losing approximately $150 billion in market value. The stock decline reflected investor concerns about the potential impact of the feud on Musk’s business interests and his relationship with the Trump administration.
When asked about reports of a scheduled phone call with Musk during an ABC News interview, Trump reportedly responded dismissively, referring to the billionaire as “the man who has lost his mind.” The comment underscored the complete deterioration of what had previously been a collaborative relationship between the president and one of the world’s wealthiest individuals.
The controversy highlights the volatile nature of high-profile political relationships conducted through social media platforms, particularly when unsubstantiated allegations involve sensitive historical figures like Epstein. The removal of Musk’s post from X, the platform he owns, raises questions about content moderation policies and the handling of potentially defamatory claims by platform owners.
The public feud represents a significant shift from the previously cordial relationship between Trump and Musk, who had been involved in government advisory roles during the early days of the current administration. The breakdown occurred rapidly, transforming from policy disagreements to personal attacks and unverified allegations within a matter of days.
As the situation continues to develop, both figures face scrutiny over their handling of the dispute and its potential implications for their respective business and political interests.
