Escalation of the Conflict: Trump Threatens Musk with “Severe Consequences” If He Supports Democrats
He harshly reacted to the funding of Democratic candidates A new episode of political tension has erupted in the United States, as former President Donald Trump publicly threatened one of the richest and most influential figures of the modern tech empire — Elon Musk. According to the politician, if the billionaire decides to finance Democratic candidates in future elections, he will have to “face serious consequences.” These statements were made by Trump during an interview with NBC News, during which he also made numerous provocative remarks and explanations. Donald Trump’s rhetoric was quite clear-cut: “If he (Musk — ed.) does it — he will have to be held accountable.” It is known that the former U.S. president does not hide his controversial attitude toward the businessman, with whom he has previously had rather complicated relations. The president also emphasized that the breakdown of their personal relationship is irreversible — and he has no intention of restoring dialogue with Musk. According to Trump, this has only strengthened the unity of his political force — the Republican Party. He is convinced that at this moment, Republicans are much more united than ever before: “The Republican Party has never been this united. That’s the truth. In my opinion, it is even more cohesive now than three days ago.” Additionally, Trump accused Musk of contempt for the office of the President of the United States, calling the billionaire’s actions a “bad signal” for the popularity of the presidential institution. He stressed: “This is very disrespectful to the office of the president. You cannot treat the head of state like this. It’s unacceptable.” At the same time, the former White House chief views Musk as a symbol of the unity of his political camp, arguing that the conflict with Musk has supposedly only strengthened internal Republican cohesion. Another important topic is the prospects for passing the budget. Trump assured that he does not see a threat to the adoption of a reasonable document, dubbed “One Big, Beautiful Law.” According to him, this bill will soon be approved by the Senate before Independence Day — July 4th. He added that the conflict with Musk over funding Democrats has actually increased interest in his budget initiative. “I believe Musk actually helped draw attention to the benefits of the law because, earlier, many people didn’t pay proper attention to it. Now — everything is different. People have seen how important and good it is,” Trump stated, appealing to his opponents and supporters. What preceded this sharp escalation? The onset of tension between the politician and the entrepreneur occurred days earlier: on Thursday, Trump made a loud statement claiming that he would have won the presidential election even without Musk’s help. This, he said, is “clear evidence” of his confidence and independence from the financial support of America’s wealthiest. He also added that previously, he was displeased with Musk’s criticism of his budget bill. It is known that the tension between the two figures only intensified in early June, following one of the most scandalous episodes involving their dispute. Elon Musk’s relations with the U.S. leader were questioned — specifically, Trump commented on Musk’s words about the American president, which, according to experts, contained vague and provocative hints. There was also information suggesting that Musk allegedly discussed Trump’s links to Jeffrey Epstein — the scandal-ridden billionaire associated with criminal cases against him, including charges of pedophilia and other crimes, which added to the already existing conflict. Meanwhile, the public sparring itself, with its open flare-up, draws attention to the internal dynamics of American politics, particularly the struggle for influence and control over economic resources. It also raises questions about how seriously politics and business are regarded in the country, and how such conflicts might influence upcoming elections and Washington’s political course.