Nothing is going well between Donald Trump and Elon Musk. This seemed to be a simple political disagreement around a bill quickly degenerated in frontal attack between the former American president and the influential entrepreneur. At stake: the future of the relationship between political power and technological power.
The political and technological soap opera of this early June 2025 has the protagonists two giants of influence: Donald Trump, American president, and Elon Musk, boss of Tesla, SpaceX and the social network X. The spark? A virulent Musk criticism against a bill defended by Trump. There followed a verbal escalation, with regard to settling of accounts between two oversized egos. If the clash makes the titles, its implications could exceed the simple buzz.
1. The starting point: a law disputed by Musk
It all starts when the US Congress debates “One Big Beautiful Bill Act”, a bill supported by Trump aimed at reorganizing several federal aids, including those related to electric vehicles. Elon Musk, whose Tesla greatly benefits from these aids, does not mince her words: he describes the text as “disgusting abomination”. Trump, stung to the live, replied immediately, calling Musk “thankless” and insinuating that he should “remember who helped him obtain his first federal contracts”.
2. A quick escalation: threats, insults and questionable allusions
The situation degenerates quickly. Trump treats Musk “crazy” and threatens to ban the X platform for “national security” reasons. It also evokes the possibility of suspending the federal contracts awarded to Tesla and SpaceX. For his part, Musk publishes (then removes) several tweets where he accuses Trump of being linked to Jeffrey Epstein, an incendiary allusion. The attacks are no longer just political: they become personal.
3. Very real financial consequences
On the stock market, Tesla lost 14 % in a few days, a drop of more than $ 150 billion in capitalization. Elon Musk sees his personal fortune falling by 34 billion. Although analysts believe that the impact on technological projects like Robotaxi remains limited, the media war causes the public image of its businesses. Uncertainty around federal contracts, especially in space and defense, worries markets.
4. JD VANCE’s entry into stage: a third in chaos
Faced with the intensity of the conflict, a republican voice emerges: that of Senator JD Vance. Faithful to Trump but close to Silicon Valley, he tries to delay. He publicly criticizes Elon Musk, judging that “attacking Trump is a huge strategic error”. Some observers see a rising figure in vance, capable of capitalizing on chaos to establish itself as the new face of the technophile right in 2028.
5. A battle of influence amplified by social networks
This duel is played as much on the political field as on that of algorithms. X and Truth Social become digital battlefields where has been multiplied hashtags, assemblies and accusations. Musk and Trump each mobilize their digital army. Their clashes nourish global trends, even more blurring the border between political discourse and media spectacle.
