Musk Criticizes Trump’s $5 Trillion Plan, Gets Told to ‘Leave the Country’
Can America’s tech icon survive without government support? Former President Donald Trump doesn’t think so. In a fiery social media post, Trump warned Elon Musk to “close up shop and move back to South Africa” if he can’t handle the removal of federal subsidies. The shocking comment was triggered by Musk’s criticism of Trump’s proposed $5 trillion spending bill, which seeks to eliminate electric vehicle (EV) tax credits and tighten fiscal control. This feud has become the most public and hostile clash yet between two of the most powerful figures in American tech and politics.
Trump’s message was not just political—it was personal, invoking immigration, federal funding, and agency oversight all in one go. What began as a disagreement over budgets has spiraled into a dramatic confrontation that could affect everything from SpaceX launches to the future of EVs in the US.
Trump Turns Budget War Personal—Musk Warned to Pack Up and Leave
Trump’s now-viral post on Truth Social accused Musk of being the biggest subsidy beneficiary “in human history.” He warned that without government tax credits and federal contracts, Musk would be forced to “pack up and head back to South Africa.” Trump also floated the idea of reactivating a now-defunct federal agency once helmed by Musk—Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)—to audit Musk’s companies for excessive federal benefits.
The trigger? Elon Musk’s public denouncement of Trump’s latest economic proposal, which he called “utterly insane”. The bill aims to slash spending on clean energy, remove EV subsidies, and consolidate infrastructure grants. In retaliation, Musk threatened to back primary challengers to any lawmaker supporting the bill, even labeling the GOP as the “Porky Pig Party.”
This wasn’t just rhetoric. Reports suggest Trump may seek to cancel federal contracts for SpaceX, Starlink, and other Musk ventures, posing serious risks to future NASA missions and satellite operations.
Once allies—Musk was even tapped by Trump for advisory roles during his presidency—the two have now become bitter adversaries, with policy, ego, and political futures hanging in the balance.
