WASHINGTON (CP) – President Donald Trump warned former adviser Elon Musk of “very serious consequences” if the tech billionaire supports Democratic candidates, marking the latest development in their public dispute over the Trump administration’s legislative priorities and fiscal policies.
President Trump told that Musk would face significant repercussions should he fund Democratic challengers against Republican lawmakers who support the administration’s comprehensive tax and immigration legislation. The warning comes as their relationship has deteriorated following Musk’s departure from his government advisory role and subsequent criticism of Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” that would increase federal spending. Trump emphasized his disappointment with Musk’s conduct, stating the tech entrepreneur had shown disrespect toward the presidency while claiming he provided crucial support to Musk’s companies during his first administration.
The dispute began escalating after Musk completed his tenure as a special government employee overseeing the Department of Government Efficiency on May 30. Initially, Trump praised Musk’s contributions and suggested he would continue advising the White House while managing his business interests including Tesla, SpaceX, and social media platform X. However, Musk soon began publicly questioning the administration’s fiscal approach, particularly criticizing legislation he claimed would significantly expand the national debt and potentially trigger economic recession through proposed tariff policies.
The conflict intensified when Trump suggested Thursday that the federal government might terminate contracts with Musk’s aerospace company SpaceX, prompting Musk to announce immediate decommissioning of Dragon spacecraft operations. Musk has also indicated interest in forming a new political party and expressed support for potential impeachment proceedings, suggesting Vice President JD Vance should replace Trump. The administration maintains that any decisions regarding government contracts are based on national security considerations and federal procurement standards rather than personal disputes.
Trump also addressed the Justice Department’s decision to bring back Kilmar Abrego García from El Salvador to face human smuggling charges, clarifying that the action followed Supreme Court orders rather than direct presidential intervention. The president criticized Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland for questioning due process procedures while defending the administration’s immigration enforcement efforts. White House officials indicate that despite the personal tensions, government operations continue focusing on advancing the administration’s policy agenda through congressional channels and executive action.