Trump Turns on Musk, Calls for Scrutiny of Former Ally’s Subsidies and Crypto Ties
In a fiery escalation of their fractured alliance, President Donald Trump took aim at Elon Musk on Monday, calling for a government crackdown on the billionaire’s business empire and suggesting that DOGE — the very agency they co-founded — should investigate him.
Once hailed as a partnership of innovation, the Trump-Musk relationship has now spiraled into public feuding. On Truth Social, Trump accused Musk of “living off the taxpayer” and hinted that his multibillion-dollar companies would collapse without federal aid.
“Elon may get more subsidy than any human being in history,” Trump wrote. “Without them, he’d probably have to pack up and go back to South Africa.”
DOGE — the Department of Government Efficiency — was introduced in early 2025 as a flagship Trump-era initiative aimed at cutting bureaucratic waste, and bore a tongue-in-cheek reference to Dogecoin, a nod to Musk’s crypto antics. The duo once championed DOGE together as proof of tech-sector partnership with Washington. But that narrative has unraveled quickly.
Musk recently issued a public apology after distancing himself from Trump and openly criticizing his legislative agenda, particularly the controversial One Big Beautiful Bill — a sweeping proposal that combines tax cuts, immigration changes, and crypto deregulation. Critics, including Musk and leading economists, warn it could blow a $3.3 trillion hole in the national budget.
“Only the debt ceiling can force fiscal discipline,” Musk tweeted late Monday, responding obliquely to Trump’s barbs.
Trump’s call for scrutiny comes as both men remain deeply tied to crypto markets. Tesla still holds roughly $1.2 billion in Bitcoin, and Musk’s platform X has expanded crypto integration. Meanwhile, Trump continues to cultivate financial relationships across the blockchain world — including with NFT ventures, mining firm Hut 8, and DeFi outfit World Liberty Financial.
When asked last week if he’d cut ties with crypto businesses, Trump sidestepped the issue:
“What I did do was build an industry that’s very important. If we didn’t have it, China would.”
The public spat now threatens to fracture a once-strategic alliance, pitting two of the most influential figures in politics and tech against each other — with billions in subsidies, legislation, and digital assets caught in the crossfire.