President Donald Trump publicly dismissed Elon Musk on Friday, calling the billionaire entrepreneur “the man who has lost his mind” and saying he has no interest in speaking with him amid an increasingly hostile and personal feud.
In a phone interview with ABC News, Trump was asked about reports that a call with Musk had been scheduled. The president responded bluntly: “You mean the man who has lost his mind? I’m not particularly interested in talking to him right now.”
Trump’s remarks come just a day after the two former allies exchanged sharp criticisms on social media over Trump’s sweeping tax and immigration proposal — known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill” — which passed the House last month and is now awaiting a Senate vote.
Musk, who recently resigned from a brief post as head of the Department of Government Efficiency, has been one of the most vocal opponents of the bill. He called it a “disgusting abomination” and warned it would worsen the national debt. On X, the platform he owns, Musk urged his followers to call their representatives and oppose the legislation.
Trump responded by accusing Musk of betrayal and threatening to cancel federal contracts connected to Musk’s companies. The feud quickly turned personal. Musk claimed Trump owed his 2024 election win to Musk’s influence and even alleged — without evidence — that Trump’s name appeared in sealed documents related to Jeffrey Epstein.
“Time to drop the really big bomb: Trump is in the Epstein files,” Musk wrote in a now-viral post. “That is the real reason they have not been made public.”
Trump hit back, calling Musk “CRAZY” in all caps and suggesting the tech CEO had become unhinged. Reports later indicated Trump may return or sell the Tesla he purchased earlier this year in a show of support for Musk.
Despite the public clash, some signs suggest Musk may be attempting to dial things back. On Friday, he responded “Good advice” to a user urging him to cool off, and walked back an earlier threat to decommission a NASA-linked spacecraft.
Vice President JD Vance voiced support for Trump while avoiding direct criticism of Musk. “President Trump has done more than anyone in my lifetime to earn the trust of the movement he leads,” Vance wrote, later slamming the media for portraying Trump as impulsive.
White House officials played down the fallout. “The President is focused on passing this historic piece of legislation and making our country great again,” Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said. She called Musk’s comments “an unfortunate episode.”
Meanwhile, Trump continued to court Senate Republicans to secure votes for the bill. He also signed new executive orders and attended a swearing-in ceremony before departing for a weekend at his Bedminster golf club.
The Trump-Musk rupture marks a striking shift from their earlier cooperation, and may signal deeper fractures within the conservative movement as policy differences, personal ambition, and egos collide in public view.
This article is based entirely on information reported by the multiple reputable news sources as cited. No opinions, interpretations, or unverified claims have been added. Our writers carefully researched these sources to deliver an accurate and factual report.
