Elon Musk has caused a stir by claiming that former President Donald Trump’s name appears in the Epstein files, a comment that has fueled an already escalating feud between the two powerful men. The Tesla CEO made the statement during a heated exchange with Trump, who had criticized Musk’s stance on a spending bill currently before Congress.
Musk’s remark, posted live on social media, referred to documents related to the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, who was accused of sex crimes and died in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial. The comment quickly garnered attention, raising new questions about the ties between Trump and Epstein, and amplifying the tension between the billionaire tech mogul and the former president.
Time to drop the really big bomb:@realDonaldTrump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 5, 2025
Have a nice day, DJT!
The rift began when Trump criticized Musk’s criticism of a proposed “big, beautiful” spending bill, accusing Musk of being ungrateful. “I’m very disappointed in Elon. I’ve helped Elon a lot,” Trump said in a televised statement, after Musk’s remarks on the bill. The exchange seemed to deepen their personal divide, with Trump threatening to cancel Musk’s multi-billion-dollar U.S. government contracts.
Musk fired back, claiming that Trump would have lost the 2024 election without his support, adding, “Such ingratitude.” The tech mogul also shared a poll asking if he should form a new political party, which could have significant consequences for the Republican Party, even if Musk himself is not eligible for the presidency under U.S. law.
As the war of words continued, Trump further attacked Musk’s government contracts, saying the easiest way to save billions was to terminate the subsidies Musk received for projects such as SpaceX’s rocket launches and Starlink’s satellite service. These contracts are valued at approximately $18 billion.
Their once strong relationship has now soured, with Musk and Trump parting ways after Musk’s brief tenure heading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), where he was known for making drastic cuts. The public fallout now sees Musk on the defensive as Trump escalates his threats, marking a sharp turn in their once-close alliance.
The only figure who appeared to avoid the public dispute was German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who was present during the exchange but kept a low profile, likely hoping to avoid being dragged into the escalating drama between Trump and Musk.
