Elon Musk may have finally reached the end of his rope with President Donald Trump—and vice versa. While the world’s richest man wars with the president on X, Republican strategists and insiders in Trumpworld tell WIRED that Musk’s broader future in Republican politics is on shaky ground.
Over the last few days, Musk has posted increasingly personal criticisms at Trump and the Republican budget reconciliation package known as the Big Beautiful Bill on X. This came to a head on Thursday, when Trump addressed the relationship during a press conference with German chancellor Friedrich Merz.
“Elon and I had a great relationship. I don’t know if we will anymore,” said Trump, who compared Musk to past aides who have, he said, developed “Trump derangement syndrome” after leaving his administration.
Trump and Musk have been in lockstep since Musk endorsed the president in July 2024. Musk poured hundreds of millions into Trump’s re-election bid, and their close relationship has been promoted by the pair countless times. Just last week, the two held a joint press conference as an apparent celebration of and conclusion to Musk’s time as a special government employee involved with his so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Today’s remarks, though, reveal how fractured that relationship has become. “Without me, Trump would have lost the election,” Musk posted on X shortly after Trump’s comments. “Dems would control the House and the Republicans would be 51-49 in the Senate.”
Behind the scenes, Trumpworld Republicans tell WIRED, this tension is about more than just a bromance falling apart. If Musk continues to escalate, he may drag down legislation that Trump sees as a key part of his political legacy.
“If [Musk] actually successfully gets any votes switched to tank this bill and kills it,” a senior Trumpworld strategist tells WIRED, “then I think at that point he’s fucking dead to Donald Trump.”
This Republican—who, like the four WIRED spoke to for this story, requested anonymity to keep what’s left of their political futures alive after the current implosion of the Trump-Musk relationship—went on to say that Musk meddling in the Big Beautiful Bill came at the worst time and with the highest stakes for the Trump White House.
At best, they say, Trump has “18 months” to cement his legacy with his signature legislation. “Some of the priorities of President Trump are not possible outside of this bill.” After that, this same senior Republican said, the remainder of Trump’s term will likely be hamstrung by an expected Democratic victory in the House in the midterms that would prevent any major legislative wins.
“Whatever,” Musk tweeted minutes after Trump’s comment about their relationship, and the president’s claims that Musk was only upset about the potential impact to his automotive business. “Keep the EV/solar incentive cuts in the bill, even though no oil & gas subsidies are touched (very unfair!!), but ditch the MOUNTAIN of DISGUSTING PORK in the bill. In the entire history of civilization, there has never been legislation that both (sic) big and beautiful. Everyone knows this! Either you get a big and ugly bill or a slim and beautiful bill. Slim and beautiful is the way.” Musk has continued posting, attacking, he says, what he believes is Trump’s about-face on raising the debt ceiling.
