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The War of Words Between Trump, Musk Continues

Leah Barkoukis
Leah Barkoukis  |  July 07, 2025 8:00 AM

After weeks of relative calm between President Donald Trump and billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk after the two had an explosive and very public fight last month over the One Big Beautiful Bill, the two started their war of words again this month as the OBBB inched closer to passage. Musk used the reconciliation bill to gauge public opinion on the creation of a third party, which have historically failed to gain enough traction in the U.S.

On Sunday, Trump weighed in, saying it “saddened” him to watch his former ally “go completely ‘off the rails’" in recent weeks, “essentially becoming a TRAIN WRECK.”

“He even wants to start a Third Political Party, despite the fact that they have never succeeded in the United States - The System seems not designed for them,” Trump noted. “The one thing Third Parties are good for is the creation of Complete and Total DISRUPTION & CHAOS, and we have enough of that with the Radical Left Democrats, who have lost their confidence and their minds! Republicans, on the other hand, are a smooth running ‘machine,’ that just passed the biggest Bill of its kind in the History of our Country.”

Trump suggested Musk may be upset over the OBBB’s elimination of the “ridiculous Electric Vehicle (EV) Mandate.” 

“I have been strongly opposed to that from the very beginning,” Trump continued. “People are now allowed to buy whatever they want - Gasoline Powered, Hybrids (which are doing very well), or New Technologies as they come about - No more EV Mandate. I have campaigned on this for two years and, quite honestly, when Elon gave me his total and unquestioned Endorsement, I asked him whether or not he knew that I was going to terminate the EV Mandate - It was in every speech I made, and in every conversation I had. He said he had no problems with that - I was very surprised!”

The president also highlighted Musk’s anger that he withdrew the nomination of Jared Isaacman to be the next NASA administrator.  

“Additionally, Elon asked that one of his close friends run NASA and, while I thought his friend was very good, I was surprised to learn that he was a blue blooded Democrat, who had never contributed to a Republican before,” Trump said. “Elon probably was, also. I also thought it inappropriate that a very close friend of Elon, who was in the Space Business, run NASA, when NASA is such a big part of Elon’s corporate life. My Number One charge is to protect the American Public!”

Musk pushed back, noting his anger isn't about the EV mandates.