Trump and Musk Clash: "Ungrateful" vs "Crazy"
The alliance between Trump and Musk was spectacular and intense, and so was their breakup: on Thursday, the two essentially tore each other apart in what felt like a live broadcast of a reality show. Musk called him "ungrateful," while Trump described him as "crazy." Meanwhile, visiting German Chancellor Merkel stood motionless in the Oval Office, waiting for the storm to pass.
And then it erupted. On Wednesday, June 4th, Musk finally couldn't bear Trump's "big and beautiful bill" anymore, bluntly stating that it was "enormous, ridiculous and laughable," "nauseating." He had previously criticized Trump-supported Republican plans multiple times, saying they could increase deficits, but this time he spoke his mind fully.
"Sorry, I can't stand it anymore. This enormous, ridiculous, politically manipulated congressional spending bill is truly nauseating."
Why did Musk lose patience? He said, "What really woke me up was seeing the interest payments on the national debt exceed the defense budget... I don't want America to go bankrupt." In fact, many independent studies also side with Musk.
Trump's retaliation came quickly. On Thursday, June 5th, when answering media questions during a reception for German Chancellor Merkel at the White House, Trump said: "Elon and I have a great relationship. I don't know if it will be like this in the future, I'm surprised." He continued, "I am very disappointed in Elon." Although holding the presidency, Trump always dragged everything into personal relationships. He said, "I've helped him a lot."
Trump went on to say that Musk "knows more about the internal workings of this bill than almost anyone here," even hinting that Musk's dissatisfaction might be related to Tesla's electric vehicle interests being affected. Trump stated, "Musk only started opposing this issue after he found out we would have to cut back on electric vehicle subsidies."
Trump muttered, "He hasn't spoken ill of me yet, but I think this will start soon... He will eventually."
Right, Musk immediately rebutted on X: "Completely wrong. I've never seen this bill, and it was passed quickly late at night!"
As for Trump's claim that he had helped Musk a lot, everyone knows that Musk played a crucial role in helping Trump get re-elected. Musk didn't give Trump any face either, writing on X: "Without me, Trump would have lost the election, the Democrats would control the House, and the Republicans would win the Senate by 51 to 49!" Musk added, "Truly ungrateful!"
Trump and Musk are somewhat like remnants of characters from kung fu novels who act impulsively but not necessarily with integrity. Trump, as the leader of a superpower, has long been known for his unpredictable and sudden changes. Although Musk is eccentric, he is genuinely regarded as a genius entrepreneur. This is why, once aligned with Trump, he too adapted to the local customs and acted impulsively.
Just days ago, they were close confidants; wherever Trump went, Musk followed. When Trump was in the White House, Musk was there too. When Trump took Air Force One to his luxurious estate in Florida, Musk followed. To help Trump win the election, Musk spent $280 million willingly. To assist Trump in cutting down government agencies, Musk significantly reduced some public institutions' budgets. His initial reduction plan wasn't fully realized, and his image as a genius dimmed. A direct economic consequence was that Tesla cars sold poorly since Trump moved into the White House.
Since Trump entered the White House, the two lived a nearly pastoral life. Musk's budget-cutting actions led to criticism due to their brutal methods, but Trump constantly defended him. When Tesla cars were vandalized, Trump called it "terrorism" without hesitation. In return, Musk praised Trump effusively, calling him "king" on his inauguration day. At cabinet meetings, he wore a hat with the words "Trump is always right." From the White House to Trump's private residence, he followed like a shadow.
Last Friday, Musk bid farewell to the White House. Before leaving, Trump solemnly saw him off in the Oval Office, specially giving him a "golden key," meaning come back anytime you wish. In front of all the trusted aides at the White House, Trump said, "He will always be with us, providing help all along." The words were quite moving, even sounding like a eulogy.
However, Trump's "big and beautiful" budget proposal made Musk unable to endure. Last month, the bill passed in the House of Representatives, including trillions of dollars in tax cuts and increased defense spending, while also allowing the U.S. government to take on more debt. It is estimated that it will increase the U.S. budget deficit by approximately $600 billion in the next fiscal year.
Musk posted several posts on X on Tuesday, directly pointing out that this "outrageous, full of political donations" spending bill would "greatly increase the already massive budget deficit to $2.5 trillion (!!!) and impose an unsustainable debt burden on American citizens." He also said, "Those who voted for this bill are truly shameful."
On Thursday, after Musk accused Trump of being "ungrateful," Trump went further, threatening to cancel the contract between the government and Tesla's boss on his social platform, claiming that this was the simplest way for the government to save billions of dollars. Trump said that because the U.S. president opposed electric vehicles, Musk had "gone crazy."
Musk responded with a "heavy bomb," stating that Trump was involved in the Epstein "Lolita Island" incident, which was the reason why this large-scale sexual abuse case hadn't been revealed. A few minutes later, Musk posted another tweet: Trump should be impeached, and Vice President Vance should replace him.
Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1834131465766924/
Disclaimer: This article represents the author's personal views.