Charles Esther
In early October 2024, Elon Musk made a surprise appearance at a Trump rally in Pennsylvania, just weeks after Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt.
Wearing a red “Make America Great Again” cap, Musk stood before the crowd and declared Trump the only candidate who could preserve democracy in America.
This moment marked the start of a very public alignment between Musk and Trump, signalling Musk’s deeper entry into political territory.
Musk Appointed to Lead DOGE After Trump Wins
In November 2024, following Trump’s re-election victory, he announced the creation of a new government department via executive order — the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Elon Musk was named as co-leader alongside former GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy.
Trump praised them both, saying they would be instrumental in slashing bureaucracy, cutting waste, and reforming federal agencies.
Ramaswamy later stepped down from the position to focus on elected office ambitions.
Musk and Trump Appear United
On November 19, Trump attended a SpaceX Starship rocket launch in Brownsville, Texas, where he warmly greeted Musk.
Trump’s presence reinforced Musk’s elevated role in the administration.
Maye Musk, Elon’s mother, commented publicly that the two were simply “having fun.”
Two weeks later, Musk received high praise at Trump’s inauguration.
“A star is born. Elon!” Trump said during his speech.
Musk also joined Trump’s roundtables with major CEOs, including executives from Amazon, Meta, and Google.
DOGE Drives Major Government Changes
In early 2025, DOGE under Musk’s leadership began implementing aggressive cost-cutting reforms.
This included eliminating remote-first policies and forcing agencies to return to physical offices.
However, tension started to rise as DOGE overstepped into independent bodies like the U.S. Institute of Peace.
In March, Trump reminded his Cabinet that they — not Musk — were in charge of their departments.
Despite this, Musk remained publicly optimistic, calling the meeting “very productive” on X.
Musk’s Influence on the White House Expands
On March 11, the White House South Lawn was turned into a Tesla showcase.
Trump defended Musk amid global backlash against Tesla, saying he’d personally buy a vehicle to show his support.
“He’s a patriot,” Trump said.
The president described Tesla cars as beautiful and Musk as a national asset.
Cracks Appear in the Alliance
In April 2025, Musk announced plans to scale back his role at DOGE.
Concerns mounted as Tesla and SpaceX investors complained about Musk’s attention being stretched too thin.
Tesla’s first-quarter earnings missed expectations, and the stock dropped over 40% since the start of the year.
Musk Criticises Trump’s Spending Bill
In May, Musk openly criticised Trump’s new tax and spending bill in an interview with CBS News.
He claimed it undermined everything DOGE stood for, increasing the federal deficit rather than cutting it.
Trump responded mildly, saying he liked some parts of the bill but not others.
The very next day, Musk stepped down from his advisory role.
At a White House farewell event, Trump acknowledged Musk’s contributions but added, “He’s not really leaving. DOGE is his baby.”
Public Fallout Between Musk and Trump
By June, Musk’s frustrations boiled over.
He called the spending bill a “disgusting abomination” and shamed those who voted for it.
This sparked a bitter exchange online, with Trump threatening to pull government contracts from Musk’s companies.
Musk, in turn, implied Trump couldn’t have won the election without his influence.
“Elon and I had a great relationship,” Trump said.
“I don’t know if we will anymore.”
