Trump threatens Elon Musk with DOGE scrutiny after tech billionaire blasts Big Beautiful Bill

President Donald Trump slammed billionaire and former special government employee Elon Musk on Tuesday, bringing attention to the fact that Tesla and SpaceX are companies both dependent on government subsidies and saying that a formal review of those subsidies may be necessary.

The comments follow Musk’s vocal opposition to Trump’s legislative agenda, including the major spending package moving through Congress known as the Big Beautiful Bill (BBB).

In a post to Truth Social, Trump wrote: “Elon Musk knew, long before he so strongly Endorsed me for President, that I was strongly against the EV Mandate. It is ridiculous, and was always a major part of my campaign. Electric cars are fine, but not everyone should be forced to own one.

"Elon may get more subsidy than any human being in history, by far, and without subsidies, Elon would probably have to close up shop and head back home to South Africa. No more Rocket launches, Satellites, or Electric Car Production, and our Country would save a FORTUNE. Perhaps we should have DOGE take a good, hard, look at this? BIG MONEY TO BE SAVED!!!”



Trump also said on Tuesday morning that "DOGE is the monster that might have to go back and eat Elon."

Musk replied to the comment, "So tempting to escalate this. So, so tempting. But I will refrain for now."

The comment is the latest development in the feud between the two, who not long ago were politically aligned but have since split over policy disagreements, largely over spending and the BBB, which contains significant spending priorities related to Trump's agenda.

Musk has repeatedly attacked the bill, describing it as “utterly insane” and “political suicide.” In a post to X on Saturday, he wrote: “The latest Senate draft bill will destroy millions of jobs in America and cause immense strategic harm to our country! Utterly insane and destructive. It gives handouts to industries of the past while severely damaging industries of the future.”

He continued voicing his concerns via X on Monday, saying lawmakers backing the bill have betrayed their campaign promises: "Every member of Congress who campaigned on reducing government spending and then immediately voted for the biggest debt increase in history should hang their head in shame! And they will lose their primary next year if it is the last thing I do on this Earth."

“We live in a one-party country – the PORKY PIG PARTY!!”

Musk's fallout with Trump reportedly began earlier this month over disagreements tied to BBB. The dispute kept growing to the point that Musk called for Trump's impeachment and removal from office, with Musk at one point throwing accusations without any evidence that Trump's name was part of the Epstein Files. Musk would go on to delete the post with such claims.