Trump Threatens to Turn DOGE Against Former Chief Elon Musk

In Brief:

President Trump escalates his public rift with Elon Musk, accusing him of benefiting from government subsidies.

Trump questions Musk's leadership at the Department of Government Efficiency and threatens to turn DOGE against him.

President Donald Trump has intensified his public feud with Elon Musk, suggesting that DOGE, the agency Trump once helped create, should take a closer look at Musk’s companies. In a post on Truth Social, Trump criticized Musk for allegedly benefiting from record-breaking government subsidies and claimed that without them, Musk would "probably have to close up shop and head back home to South Africa."

This latest attack marks a significant shift in the relationship between Trump and Musk, which had previously been seen as a partnership aimed at tech-sector disruption. The DOGE initiative, launched in early 2025, was positioned as a collaborative effort between the two to streamline federal systems, with its name referencing the meme cryptocurrency Dogecoin.

Trump's criticism follows Musk’s recent distancing from the administration, including his public opposition to Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill.” The proposed legislation, which includes tax cuts, immigration reform, and crypto-friendly provisions, has been met with criticism, especially from Musk and economists, who argue that it could add over $3 trillion to the U.S. national debt.

Musk, who has long benefited from federal contracts and subsidies, has also been a significant player in the cryptocurrency market, with his companies Tesla and X holding substantial Bitcoin investments. Despite the tension, Trump has continued to maintain ties to the crypto industry, including his own NFT platform and collaborations with firms like Hut 8 and World Liberty Financial.

In a recent interview, Trump asserted that his presidency played a crucial role in the growth of the crypto sector, stating that without his leadership, China would have dominated the space. The ongoing feud between Trump and Musk adds another layer of complexity to their intertwined ventures in both the tech and crypto industries.

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