Trump threatens to deport Elon Musk as feud with tech titan reignites: ‘We’ll have to take a look’
President Trump suggested Tuesday that he’d deport his ex-pal Elon Musk and unleash the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) on the tech titan to examine government subsidies doled out to Musk’s companies — as their dormant feud heated back up.
“We’ll have to take a look,” Trump, 79, told reporters when asked about the deportation possibility on the White House lawn.
Born in South Africa, Musk has been a US citizen since 2002, meaning he would have had to have been found guilty of a crime before deportation could be considered as a possibility.
“We might have to put DOGE on Elon. You know what DOGE is? The monster that might have to go back and eat Elon. Wouldn’t that be terrible? He gets a lot of subsidies,” he added.
Trump lashed out at Musk, who inspired DOGE, after the Tesla boss renewed his criticisms of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act — on which much of Trump’s domestic policy agenda hangs — calling it “utterly insane” and “political suicide.”
“Elon may get more subsidies 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,” Trump posted on Truth Social earlier Tuesday.
“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!!!”
The president’s ire comes after Musk expressed his frustration over the sweeping spending bill on social media ahead of Tuesday’s Senate vote.
“The latest Senate draft bill will destroy millions of jobs in America and cause immense strategic harm to our country!” the 54-year-old wrote on X Saturday.
“Utterly insane and destructive. It gives handouts to industries of the past while severely damaging industries of the future.”
On Monday, the world’s richest man continued his criticism, saying lawmakers who had campaigned on cutting spending but backed the bill “should hang their heads in shame!”
“And they will lose their primary next year if it is the last thing I do on this Earth,” Musk said.
The SpaceX CEO called again for a new political party, saying the bill’s massive spending indicated “that we live in a one-party country – the PORKY PIG PARTY!!”
Trump said Tuesday his former ally was upset over a Biden-era electric vehicle mandate that was reversed by the new bill.
“Elon Musk knew, long before he so strongly Endorsed me for President, that I was strongly against the EV Mandate,” the prez wrote on Truth Social.
“It is ridiculous, and was always a major part of my campaign. Electric cars are fine, but not everyone should be forced to own one.”
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Trump and Musk had butted heads earlier this month over the massive spending bill, which the Senate approved 51-50 Tuesday.
That spat culminated with Musk endorsing the impeachment and removal of his former ally.
Musk later apologized to the president, who suggested that a reconciliation between the former allies was still possible.
The billionaire left the Trump administration and his role in DOGE on May 29, in accordance with the statutory 130-day limit on tenure for so-called special government employees.
