Washington (AP)-maybe it was always the case that two billionaires on social media posted angrily on top of each other, and the fingers flew over screens in pocket size when their incandescent lamp burned hotter.
But even if the final was predictable, it didn’t make you less shocking. After long months, when Donald Trump and Elon Musk have united in their cluttered mission, Washington, their relationship imploded this week like a star that drove supernova.
It began with Musk complaining about the heart of Trump’s legislative agenda, which the president was initially absorbed in a wise manner. Finally, Trump had slipped that he was disappointed by his former consultant and asked Muschus to unleash a flood of insults and mockery.
He accused Trump of revealing promises to reduce the federal expenditure, and shared the proposal that the president should be charged and without evidence that the government hid information about his connection with infamous pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. Musk insisted on the most malignant thing that Trump would not have won the election of last year without his support.
Trump, not one who went out of a fight, could no longer hold back. He posted that Musk had “worn” that he had “asked him to leave his administration” that the Tech Titan had “gone crazy”.
Perhaps, Trump threatened, he should save taxpayers by giving up government contracts and subsidies for Musk companies.
Bad blood with high inserts
It continued when the liberals enjoyed the spectacle of their most despised political opponents, who scratched each other on the digital throats and conservatives to choose the view of selecting pages. Laura Loomer, a right provocateur and conspiracy theorist, saw the opportunity to position himself as the voice of reason.
“This fight should be taken offline,” she said – of course on social media.
The question now is whether Trump and Musk find a way to step back from a struggle that tears one of the most consistent relationships in newfangled American politics. If you do not do this, it becomes less meaningful how far the Fallout could spread from a collision between the most powerful man in the world and his richest person.
The future of Musks is at stake, including electric car manufacturers Tesla and Rocket manufacturer SpaceX. Government programs that rely on the technology of the billionaire; Legislation for the further development of tax cuts and Trump’s other priorities in the congress; Republican opportunities in intermediate elections next year; And an entire political ecosystem that is surrounded by Trump and Musk’s worsening partnership.
“It is like in India and Pakistan,” said Republican MP Ryan Zinke from Montana and referred to two nuclear nations that recently flooded along her border. “It just escalates and none of them seem to withdraw and understand the strength from each other.”
Opposites (for a time) attracted
Trump and Muschus have always been a strange pairing with contrasting worldviews and deep generations and stylistic differences.
The 78-year-old Trump comes from New York’s real estate in the antique school and never appears in public without a suit and tie unless he is on the golf course. Before he ran for the president, he became a well -known name as a reality television star.
The 53 -year -old Musk is an immigrant from South Africa who is prosperous in Silicon Valley. Musk not only has Tesla and SpaceX, but also the social media company X.
But Trump and Muschus are related ghosts in other ways. They are experts who attract attention who enjoy stirring the pot by pulling their opponents up. Everyone was looking for more power to achieve existential quests. Trump attacks the federal government to “Deep State”, who resisted him during his first term, while Musk warns that the country will become bankrupt before excessive expenses and promotes an interplanetary future that is powered by its rocket technology.
Musk supported Trump after the Republican candidate in Butler, Pennsylvania, was almost murdered, and he began to spend millions to support him. His social media -megaphone was a mighty addition to Trump’s comeback campaign, who had his efforts, Tech executives and teenage, very online men.
Trump rarely tolerates the limelight, but he seemed in love with his powerful supporter, mentioned him in Stumpf talk and greeted him on stage at Rallyes.
After the election, Musk was an integral part of Mar-A-Lago, who posed for photos with Trump’s family and joined them for dinner and sitting at meetings. Instead of getting his “first buddy” tired, Trump made plans to bring Musk to Washington and created him to lead a paid initiative known as the Department of Government Efficiency.
Cracks appear
Musk tried to establish himself as an omniscient and omnipresent consultant of the president. He held a courtyard in closet meetings, slept in the Lincoln bedroom and helped himself to make his own caramel ice from the kitchen of the White House.
The Federal Bureaucracy virtually shaked in front of Musk, who supervised the layoffs and was embedded with his team of Akolythen and engineers in various agencies.
Musk seemed enthusiastic about his opportunity to tinker with the government and flock to Trump in his bromance and publish on February 7 that he loved the president, “so much a heterosexual man can love another man”.
Trump replied the favor on March 11th and had Musk Tesla vehicles aligned on the entrance of the White House because his company had to deal with falling sales. Trump was a Cherry Red Electric Car for himself.
However, there were cracks, especially since Trump pursued tariffs who were able to enhance the costs for Musk’s business. Musk said, Peter Navarro, the President’s trade advisor, was “really an idiot” and “Dumber as a sack of brick” on April 8.
The billionaire, who had never worked in the public service, seemed to be the government. He suggested that there was not enough political will in the congress or in the White House to reduce the expenses appropriately.
Trump signaled that it was time for him to go, although Musk said he was ready to stay.
Shortly before he announced his departure, Musk said that he was “disappointed”, from the legislation, which Trump described as a “great bill” because this would enhance the deficit. The measure includes tax cuts, more money for border security and changes to Medicaid, which would leave fewer people with health insurance.
“I think an invoice can be big or it could be nice,” said Musk. “But I don’t know if it could be both.”
The criticism did not prevent Trump from awarding Muschus in the Oval Office, where he presented his outgoing consultant with a ceremonial key.
“Elon really doesn’t work,” said Trump. “He will be back and forth.”
Musk said: “I will continue to visit here and be a friend and consultant of the president.”
The implosion comes challenging and swift
It is arduous to imagine now.
Musk escalated his attacks on the legislation on Tuesday and called it a “disgusting abomination”, and Trump tried to ward off the criticism.
“He didn’t say badly about me personally, but I am sure that it will be next,” said the President on Thursday in the Oval Office during a meeting with the German Chancellor.
It was.
Musk quickly went to X to vent his anger on Trump, and said that his tariffs will “cause a recession in the second half of this year” and accuse him of being lied to. He also said it was “very unfair” that the legislation would eliminate tax incentives for electric vehicles.
Trump shot back in real time when he tried to maintain the momentum for his legislation, which is exposed to a arduous debate in the Senate.
“It doesn’t matter to me that Elon turns against me, but he should have done it months ago,” wrote the president. “This is one of the greatest laws that have ever been presented to the congress.”
In the meantime, some of Trump’s allied revenge.
Steve Bannon, a former Trump consultant who organizes an influential conservative podcast, said that the President should instruct the US government to confiscate SpaceX. He also encouraged Trump to investigate the allegations that Musk uses drugs and “goes through everything about his immigration status” in order to prepare for the potential deportation.
“We will see how well Elon Muschus takes a little of this pressure,” said Bannon, “because I happen to think a little of this pressure.”
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Associated press authors Tom Beaumont, Kevin Freking and Michelle L. Price contributed to this report.
