President Donald Trump suggested that the Department of Government Efficiency — an initiative Elon Musk spearheaded — look into slashing government contracts with Musk’s companies.
“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 wrote on Truth Social.
Trump also suggested that Musk might have to “close up shop” and return to South Africa, where he was born. Musk has been a US citizen since 2002.
The Department of Government Efficiency was, until April, headed by Musk.
Trump’s comments come after Musk reignited their feud by criticizing the president’s proposed “Big, Beautiful Bill,” which proposes cuts to Medicaid, removal of taxes on tips and overtime, and axes tax credits for electric vehicles.
Tesla stock fell more than 5% in early trading at 8 a.m. ET Tuesday. Wedbush analyst Dan Ives said in a note that the feud was “a soap opera that remains an overhang on Tesla’s stock” as investors fear Trump taking a more hawkish line on Musk’s companies.
Musk has not responded to Trump’s latest jab on slashing his government contracts. He has, in the meantime, vociferously opposed the spending priorities outlined in the bill, and threatened to start a new political party if it passes in the Senate.
On Saturday, Musk wrote on X that the president’s proposed 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 said.
This is at least the second time Trump has threatened to end Musk’s contracts since their very public falling-out in June.
“The easiest way to save money in our Budget, Billions and Billions of Dollars, is to terminate Elon’s Governmental Subsidies and Contracts. I was always surprised that Biden didn’t do it!” Trump wrote in June, at the start of their feud.
Responding to the jab, Musk wrote on X that SpaceX “will begin decommissioning its Dragon spacecraft immediately.” He walked back the comment a few hours later.
SpaceX works closely with NASA, and the Dragon spaceships are used to ferry NASA astronauts and supplies to and from the International Space Station.
Representatives for Trump and Musk did not respond to requests for comment from Business Insider.
