Trump declares ‘US can’t survive without me’ amid feud with Elon Musk

US President Donald Trump

Amid an escalating feud with Elon Musk, US President Donald Trump made a bold remark when asked about the country's reliance on Musk’s defense and space contracts.

Reporters asked Do you feel like the US can survive without Elon Musk's contracts when it comes to the defence and space and that relationship has been important for quite some time?"

To which Trump responded, "The US could survive without almost anybody except me."

REPORTER: "Do you feel like the US can survive without Elon Musk's contracts when it comes to the defence and space and that relationship has been important for quite some time?"TRUMP: "The US could survive without almost anybody except me." pic.twitter.com/wwFNJOyTlv

DogeDesigner (@cb_doge) June 7, 2025

The clash between the President and the Tesla and SpaceX CEO began after a major disagreement over a tax bill, with both parties exchanging accusations and personal insults.

While Trump has asked his aides privately if Musk's recent behavior could be linked to alleged drug use, as he tries to make sense of the tech billionaire’s attacks, a source told CNN.

President Trump told CNN he was “not even thinking about Elon” and added that he wouldn’t be speaking to Musk “for a while.”

According to a report by The Washington Post, the Trump administration is now recalling workers after the mass firing led to the “imperiling of key services such as weather forecasting and the drug approval process.”