Timeline of Trump-Musk meltdown: From bromance to fierce feud, and then?

2016–2017: From skepticism to collaboration

• November 2016: Elon Musk expressed reservations about Donald Trump's suitability for the presidency, stating, "He doesn't seem to have the sort of character that reflects well on the United States." 

• December 2016: Despite earlier criticisms, Musk joined Trump's economic advisory councils, aiming to influence environmental and immigration policies from within. 

• June 2017: Musk resigned from the Trump advisory councils following Trump's decision to withdraw the US from the Paris Climate Agreement, tweeting, "Am departing presidential councils. Climate change is real. Leaving Paris is not good for America or the world." 

2018–2021: Periodic pensions

• June 2020: Musk publicly disagreed with Trump's suspension of temporary work visas, arguing that such skillsets are net job creators.  

2022: Public spats, social media exchanges

• May 2022: Musk announced intentions to reinstate Trump's Twitter account, calling the ban a "morally bad decision" and "foolish to the extreme." 

• July 2022: At a rally in Anchorage, Alaska, Trump labelled Musk a "bullshit artist," claiming Musk had told him he voted for him, which Musk denied. Musk responded on Twitter, suggesting Trump should "hang up his hat & sail into the sunset." 

2024–2025: Alliance and fallout

• 2024: Musk openly supported Trump following an attempted assassination on Trump. Musk contributed significantly to Trump's re-election campaign and was appointed head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

• April 2025: Musk stepped down from DOGE amid Tesla's financial struggles. 

• May 2025: Musk criticsed Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill" for increasing the national deficit, leading to a series of retaliatory remarks from Trump. 

• June 5, 2025: Musk had called for Trump’s impeachment. He also suggested that the president was withholding documents related to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein due to his own potential involvement.

• Musk posted on X: “Time to drop the really big bomb: @realDonaldTrump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public. Mark this post for the future. The truth will come out.”

• The White House dismissed Musk's claims as baseless. Trump suggested Musk's motives are self-serving, i.e. his opposition to Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill" stemmed from personal financial interests, particularly regarding electric vehicle (EV) subsidies. Trump stated: “Elon’s upset because we took the [electric vehicle] mandate... He only developed a problem when he found out I would cut the EV mandate.”

• He further claimed that Musk “went CRAZY” over the EV changes.

• Musk countered Trump's remarks by stressing his contribution to Trump's electoral success, stating: “Without me, Trump would have lost the election, Dems would control the House and the Republicans would be 51-49 in the Senate.” He added: “Such ingratitude.”

• Amid the feud, Trump suggested terminating federal subsidies and contracts benefiting Musk's companies. In response, Musk challenged Trump by stating: “Go ahead, make my day.”

• Later in the day, Musk expressed a willingness to de-escalate his public spat with Trump.

Notable quotes from their feud