By Olatunbosun Obafemi
U.S. President Donald Trump has issued a stern warning to Elon Musk, cautioning the billionaire entrepreneur against financing Democratic candidates who oppose Republicans backing the party’s broad budget legislation.
“He’ll have to pay very serious consequences if he does that,” Trump said in a phone interview with NBC News on Saturday, though he declined to specify what those consequences might be.
The comments mark a deepening rift between Trump and Musk, following a series of public clashes in recent days. When asked whether he hoped to repair his relationship with the Tesla and SpaceX CEO, Trump replied bluntly, “No.” He confirmed the fallout appears final: “I would assume so, yeah.”
Trump also took aim at Musk’s recent social media activity, including a now-deleted post on X (formerly Twitter) that referenced Trump’s past associations with the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Trump dismissed the claims as “old news,” stating, “Even Epstein’s lawyer said I had nothing to do with it.”
The president accused Musk of showing “disrespect” toward the office of the presidency, adding, “It’s a very bad thing because he’s very disrespectful. You could not disrespect the office of the president.”
The dispute erupted after Musk publicly criticized Republican budget proposals, citing concerns over the national deficit. Trump’s response triggered sharp reactions across Congress and reportedly contributed to a drop in Tesla’s stock.
While Musk has yet to issue a direct response, the escalating feud adds political and financial weight to a growing battle between two of the most high-profile figures in American public life.
