The escalating feud between U.S. President Donald Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk reached a new peak as Trump publicly warned Musk of "serious consequences" should he financially support Democratic candidates running against Republicans who back the GOP's sweeping budget bill.

This warning, delivered in a phone interview with NBC News, marks a dramatic downturn in what was once a close, if volatile, political partnership between the two influential figures.

Trump explicitly stated, "If he does, he'll have to pay the consequences for that," but declined to specify what those consequences might entail. He doubled down on the threat, adding, "He'll have to pay very serious consequences if he does that."

Trump also made it clear that he has no intention of mending his relationship with Musk, responding "No" when asked if he wished to repair ties, and stating, "I would assume so, yeah," when asked if their relationship was over. Trump further criticized Musk for being "disrespectful to the office of the President," emphasizing that such behaviour was unacceptable.

The fallout comes after a week of public clashes on social media, with Musk targeting Trump in a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter), including a now-deleted post referencing Trump's past association with Jeffrey Epstein. Trump dismissed these attacks as "old news," asserting that even Epstein's lawyer had cleared him of any involvement.

Musk, who previously served for 130 days as a "special government employee" leading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has been openly critical of Trump's spending legislation since stepping down from his government role. His criticisms intensified after the House narrowly passed the GOP's budget bill, which includes broad tax cuts and increased military spending, with only three Republicans dissenting against unified Democratic opposition.

In response to Musk's critiques, Trump expressed disappointment, stating, "I'm very disappointed because Elon knew the inner workings of this bill. I've helped Elon a lot". As the feud escalated, Trump threatened to terminate federal contracts and subsidies for Musk's companies, specifically mentioning SpaceX's lucrative government contracts. He suggested that eliminating these contracts would be the "easiest way to save money in our Budget, Billions and Billions of Dollars," and noted that he was surprised President Biden had not already done so. However, Trump later said he had not given further thought to cancelling Musk's contracts, though he asserted he would be allowed to do so.

The public spat has significant political and economic implications. Musk was a major financial supporter of Trump during the previous election, reportedly contributing nearly $300 million to Trump's campaign and Republican efforts in swing states. Musk's involvement in government as head of DOGE was marked by aggressive cost-cutting measures, including mass layoffs and agency closures, though some of these actions were later blocked by judicial intervention.

The breakdown in relations between Trump and Musk could have far-reaching consequences for both parties. For Trump and the GOP, the loss of Musk's financial support and influence—especially in Silicon Valley—could complicate efforts to maintain party unity and pass key legislation, such as the controversial budget bill. For Musk, the threat of losing government contracts and subsidies poses a significant risk to his business interests, particularly as Tesla's stock has already experienced a sharp decline amid the controversy.

Trump's warning to Musk underscores the high stakes of their political and personal rift. The conflict highlights the intertwining of business, politics, and personal loyalties at the highest levels of American power, and signals potential instability for both the administration's legislative agenda and Musk's business ventures moving forward.

Based On ANI Report