WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Saturday issued a sharp warning to Elon Musk, saying the billionaire entrepreneur would face “very serious consequences” if he chooses to support Democratic candidates in opposition to Republicans who back the administration’s sweeping budget legislation.
“If he does, he’ll have to pay the consequences for that,” Trump told NBC News in a phone interview, though he declined to specify what those consequences might be. “He’ll have to pay very serious consequences if he does that.”
The warning comes days after an escalating feud between Trump and Musk erupted into public view, marked by a flurry of online attacks and the apparent breakdown of what had once been a key political and policy alliance. Trump confirmed during the interview that he believes the relationship is beyond repair. “No,” the president said when asked whether he hoped to mend ties with Musk. “I would assume so, yeah,” he added when asked if the relationship was over.
Trump and Musk traded barbs throughout the week on social media platforms X and Truth Social. The president accused Musk of being “very disrespectful to the office of the President,” adding, “I think it’s a very bad thing. You could not disrespect the office of the President.”
The fallout follows Musk’s criticism of the GOP-led “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” a multi-trillion-dollar spending package aimed at reshaping the federal government. Despite Trump’s assertion that Musk had previously endorsed the bill’s framework, Musk posted a series of sharp criticisms, including a now-deleted post accusing Trump of corruption and promoting calls for his impeachment.
Musk also revived old allegations linking Trump to financier Jeffrey Epstein, which the president dismissed Saturday as “old news.” “Even Epstein’s lawyer said I had nothing to do with it,” Trump said. “It’s old news.”
Trump had previously hinted that Musk’s attacks could jeopardize his companies’ lucrative federal contracts. “The easiest way to save money in our Budget, Billions and Billions of Dollars, is to terminate Elon’s Governmental Subsidies and Contracts,” he wrote Thursday on Truth Social. When asked Saturday if he still planned to follow through, Trump replied, “I’d be allowed to do that… but I haven’t given it any thought.”
Despite the controversy, Trump voiced confidence in the budget bill’s chances in the Senate before the July 4 recess. “The Republican Party has never been united like this before,” he said. “It’s actually more so than it was three days ago.”
Musk had been a significant donor to Trump’s 2024 campaign, reportedly contributing over $250 million in support. Early in Trump’s second term, Musk was appointed head of the Department of Government Efficiency, where he spearheaded cost-cutting initiatives that included mass layoffs and the downsizing of several federal agencies.
Asked whether outside calls, including those from activist Steve Bannon, for investigations into Musk’s immigration record or business dealings had gained traction within the administration, Trump said it was not currently a priority. “It’s not something that’s on top of my mind right now,” he said.
While tensions continue to mount, Trump noted a silver lining. “I think, actually, Elon brought out the strengths of the bill because people that weren’t as focused started focusing on it, and they see how good it is,” Trump said. “So in that sense, there was a big favor. But I think Elon, really, I think it’s a shame that he’s so depressed and so heartbroken.”
