Two Alpha Males Collide Over Spending
The friendship between President Trump and Elon Musk has blown up in spectacular fashion. This week, their relationship went from White House allies to bitter enemies on social media. It’s a mess that has conservatives scratching their heads.
The fight started over Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill.” This massive spending package includes tax cuts but also lots of government spending. Musk called it a “disgusting abomination” of pork spending and urged lawmakers to kill it. Trump didn’t like that criticism one bit.
Cracks in the Foundation
This breakup was inevitable. Think about it – you have the richest person in the world and the most powerful person in the world. That was never going to last long.
Neither of these guys takes guidance or advice from anyone. Trump still sends out ALL CAPS tweets at midnight despite every advisor telling him not to. Musk smoked marijuana on the Joe Rogan podcast, and did interviews about his ketamine and other substance habits while holding a security clearance.
These are two people who think they know better than everyone else. Put them in the same room, and eventually they were going to clash.
Look, I was an Elon Musk fan before it was cool. I loved that he was disruptive, anti-establishment, willing to take on Silicon Valley groupthink. When he bought Twitter and talked about free speech, I was all for it. Here was an outsider taking on the bureaucracy.
But watching him in Washington? This isn’t the rebel I admired.
As a donor, Musk really overstepped his bounds. There were photos of him in the Oval Office standing over the president’s desk, often with a toddler on his shourlders. He became a government employee with the DOGE initiative and suddenly thought he was responsible for the entire federal budget.
And honestly? DOGE was mostly theater. It was like Rand Paul’s Festivus reports but as an agency named after a memecoin and run by some 20-something they call “Big Balls.” I’m supposed to take that seriously?
What Really Happened?
Let’s be honest about what happened.
Musk was frustrated at failing to win favorable treatment in the bill and the administration at large. The bill cuts electric vehicle tax credits that help Tesla. Musk wanted to keep his government job longer than the 130-day limit. He wanted NASA to pick his buddy for a top job. He wanted the government to use his Starlink satellites for air traffic control. When he didn’t get these things, he got mad.
Trump, meanwhile, saw Musk as getting too big for his britches. “Nobody really wanted him here. We couldn’t wait to get rid of him,” said one House Republican. Many Republicans in Congress never liked having an unelected billionaire telling them what to do.
The Nuclear Option
The fight escalated when Trump threatened to cut Musk’s government contracts.
Trump wrote on Truth Social:
“The easiest way to save money in our Budget, Billions and Billions of Dollars, is to terminate Elon’s Governmental Subsidies and Contracts.”
He also posted:
“Elon was ‘wearing thin,’ I asked him to leave, I took away his EV Mandate that forced everyone to buy Electric Cars that nobody else wanted (that he knew for months I was going to do!), and he just went CRAZY!”
Donald J. Trump Truth Social 06.05.25 02:37 PM EST
Elon was “wearing thin,” I asked him to leave, I took away his EV Mandate that forced everyone to buy Electric Cars that nobody else wanted (that he knew for months I was going to do!), and he just went CRAZY!
— Commentary Donald J. Trump Posts From Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) June 5, 2025
Then things got really ugly. Musk responded by posting:
“Time to drop the really big bomb: Trump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public. Have a nice day, DJT!”
This is a serious accusation without proof.
But here’s the thing: Trump banned Jeffrey Epstein from Mar-a-Lago around 2007 after Epstein harassed the teenage daughter of another member. This happened before Epstein’s crimes became widely public and months before Epstein pleaded guilty to state charges in 2008.
So, whether what Musk is rage-tweeting like a disgruntled former employee is true or not, you have to consider the timeline. Trump cut ties with Epstein years before most people knew what Epstein was really up to.
The Third Party Talk
Here’s where it gets interesting for conservatives. Musk created a poll on X asking users,
“Is it time to create a new political party in America that actually represents the 80% in the middle?”
This sounds nice, but it shows Musk doesn’t understand how American politics works.
Musk hasn’t been “political” that long. He’s underestimating the Trump phenomenon in politics. Third parties don’t work in our system. We have what political scientists call Duverger’s Law. It means our election system naturally supports two major parties (or candidates, rather). Ross Perot tried a third party in 1992 and helped Bill Clinton win.
It’s not what conservatives want. If Trump says J.D. Vance will be the next president, that’s what happens, not some third-party person, regardless of how much Musk spends.
The Conservative Dilemma
Here’s the tough part for conservatives who believe in limited government. On principle, Musk is probably right about the spending bill being too big. But this is politics, and Trump will win the politics of it every time.
The president is the elected leader. He won the election. He gets to set the agenda.
Trump has about three and a half years left as president. Musk made that point himself on Thursday when he told Republicans choosing sides:
“Trump has 3.5 years left as President, but I will be around for 40+ years.”
That’s a weird, dark thing to say.
Oh and some food for thought as they ponder this question: Trump has 3.5 years left as President, but I will be around for 40+ years …
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 5, 2025
Musk is basically telling people to pick him because Trump’s going to die first. Here’s a guy who only got into politics after someone tried to assassinate Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania. Now he’s insinuating:
“Hey, Trump’s old, he’ll be dead soon, so bet on me instead.”
What the hell kind of loyalty is that? This isn’t about conservative principles or limited government. This is just a rich guy who thinks he can buy his way into being the king-maker in his first election cycle, even involved in politics: that’s just gross opportunism.
The biggest winner in all this? Ashley St. Clair. We’re watching a very public breakup, and she already went through her own publicly messy situation with Elon over their child. She’s probably sitting back thinking “told you so.”
hey @realDonaldTrump lmk if u need any breakup advice
— Ashley St. Clair (@stclairashley) June 5, 2025
Political memory is short though. By 2028, most folks won’t remember this Twitter tantrum. The real question is whether this damages the conservative movement. Trump’s agenda can move forward without Musk. The president has solid support in Congress.
Musk’s third-party idea won’t go anywhere. It’s just angry tweeting from what appears to be a disgruntled former employee of the US government.
What Conservatives Should Do
First, don’t panic. Political fights happen. This too shall pass.
Second, focus on the big picture. Trump’s agenda is still on track. The economy is strong. America is respected again on the world stage.
The conservative movement will survive this billionaire drama.
This article was written with the assistance of AI. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
