If asked about the most shocking traffic combination that has exploded globally since the beginning of this year, then Trump and Musk's "Trump-Musk combination" would undoubtedly take the lead.

In January, Trump, who won the election and returned to the White House, and Musk, who remains the world's richest man and defected to the Republican Party, "joined forces." The older Musk was appointed by Trump, the self-proclaimed "understandable leader," as the head of the newly established U.S. federal department, "Efficiency Department," officially entering politics.

Musk visits Trump at Mar-a-Lago Estate

The collaboration of these two unconventional individuals gives the impression of reigniting American hegemony and rectifying global situations. However, after 100 days, the result of the Trump-Musk duo is a mutual "slip and fall."

Musk hoped to leverage Trump's political resources to boost his business, but instead faced Tesla's sales plummeting dramatically. Trump, in trying to rally Musk, ended up disrupting the American civil servant workplace rather than the global situation, causing chaos and widespread complaints.

Trying to recreate the trade war scenario of 2018, they discovered that America is no longer the same country it was seven years ago, nor is China the same. Trump's tariff stick has become a double-edged sword, not only making it difficult for him to move forward but also leaving him in an awkward position.

According to CNN reports, Tesla's first-quarter financial results released recently showed that its net income in the first quarter was $409 million, a year-on-year decrease of 71%, with a 20% drop in auto business and a reduction of 50,000 deliveries.

It is worth noting that as the current global leading technology automotive company, Tesla's market value is as high as $700 billion. Over the past few years, as the leader of American electric vehicle enterprises, it has consistently led the development trend of global new energy vehicle enterprises. However, Tesla now faces consecutive business shrinkage in several major markets.

Musk at Tesla Factory

Data from the China Passenger Car Market Information Joint Conference on March 4th showed that Tesla's sales in China fell by 49.2% year-on-year in February, reaching 30,688 units, while its old rival BYD continued to rise strongly with a delivery volume of 318,233 units, increasing by 161.4% year-on-year.

In Europe, where new energy vehicles are becoming increasingly popular, Tesla's days are also getting tough. Data from the European Automobile Manufacturers Association shows that Tesla's sales in Europe dropped sharply by 42.6% year-on-year.

Sales in EU countries, the UK, and the European Free Trade Association were less than 17,000 units. Since the beginning of the year, Tesla's stock price has fallen by 40%, which has dealt a severe blow to Musk, who was previously full of confidence and excelling in both politics and business.

At the same time, Trump's tariff stick also contributed to Tesla's shrinking market share. Trump's automobile tariff policy signed in April 2025 imposed a 25% tariff on imported cars and parts (higher for some countries), directly causing Tesla's global supply chain costs to rise. Especially the unlimited increase in tariffs on Chinese imports has significantly increased Tesla's costs for importing components from China.

Tesla Factory

Investors in Tesla criticized Musk for being overly involved in politics, demanding that he focus on Tesla management. However, Musk's personal brand image is no longer as strong as it once was.

Given his excessive involvement in politics and the numerous controversial statements he has made, many of his former supporters have begun to question this unconventional idol. His controversial actions, such as chairing the "Government Efficiency Department," participating in U.S. government layoffs, and supporting European right-wing forces, have sparked protests across Europe and America. Tesla stores in multiple locations in the United States have been set on fire or shot at.

In Europe, there are consumers who, due to their aversion to Musk's remarks, have abandoned buying Tesla from a political standpoint. JPMorgan pointed out that Musk's political controversies have become one of the core factors in Tesla's predicament, with his "politicalized IP" leading to a decline in consumer trust.

Perhaps sensing the approaching crisis, Musk has recently been constantly expressing opposition to Trump's tariff policies and stating his intention to refocus on Tesla itself and its management.

The once confident Musk

While Musk is having a hard time, Trump's image is now facing a complete collapse. In an opinion piece published in The Wall Street Journal, columnist Andy Kessler revealed the awkwardness of the U.S. government's tariff policy. "The U.S. government claims that various countries are preparing to compromise on reciprocal tariffs against Trump." However, the reality is that U.S. bond markets have significantly corrected, and stock markets have crashed. In this situation, Trump acted like a cocktail napkin, "folding up" and announcing a 90-day suspension of most reciprocal tariffs. He commented that Trump, who has always claimed that tariff policies are unshakable, is now constantly bowing down, while the strongest stance comes from China, which the U.S. has long targeted. In addition to tariff issues, the large-scale layoffs in the U.S. government, the cuts in scientific research funding, and the significant reduction in the federal budget orchestrated by the Trump-Musk duo have already caused a chain reaction. Opposition voices to Trump across all sectors of the U.S. are growing louder, and Trump's approval rating has dropped to its lowest level since he returned to the White House. Ultimately, the essence of Trump and Musk's cooperation is "short-term interest exchange" and "long-term risk accumulation." Their principles are fundamentally divergent; any escalation of conflict could cause total chaos. They are now moving closer to parting ways. "Slipping and falling" is just the first step; not only Trump and Musk but perhaps also their unrealistic MAGA ideology may "fold up." Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7496405765588009472/ Disclaimer: This article represents the author's views. Please express your attitude using the "like/dislike" buttons below.