'Without me, Trump would have lost the election': Musk escalates feud with US President

Elon Musk on Thursday ratcheted up his public spat with Donald Trump, saying the US president would have lost the election without his support.

"Without me, Trump would have lost the election," Musk said on X. "Such ingratitude."

Without me, Trump would have lost the election, Dems would control the House and the Republicans would be 51-49 in the Senate.

Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 5, 2025

This came after Trump said he was "very disappointed" by Musk's criticism of his policy mega-bill, adding he didn't know if his friendship with his billionaire former advisor would survive.

"Look, Elon and I had a great relationship. I don't know if we will anymore. I was surprised," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office after former advisor Musk slammed the bill as an "abomination".

"I'm very disappointed, because Elon knew the inner workings of this bill better than almost anybody sitting here... All of a sudden, he had a problem," Trump added.

The clash comes less than a week since Trump held a grand Oval Office farewell for Musk as he wrapped up his time leading the cost-cutting Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

South African-born Musk, 53, hit back minutes later, saying Trump's claims he had advance sight of the bill were "false."

"Whatever," he added above a video of Trump saying Musk was upset about the loss of subsidies for electric vehicles.

Musk then ratcheted up the public spat even further, saying the Republican would have lost the election without his support. He was the biggest donor to Trump's campaign, to the tune of nearly $300 million.

"Without me, Trump would have lost the election," Musk said on X. "Such ingratitude."

Without me, Trump would have lost the election, Dems would control the House and the Republicans would be 51-49 in the Senate. Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 5, 2025

Tesla shares fell sharply on Wall Street, down eight percent, after his comments, in a sign of the huge stakes for a falling out between the world's richest man and its most powerful.

A wistful-sounding Trump took reporters through the break-up with Musk on live television, in what at times sounded more like a therapy session than a meeting with a foreign leader.

Trump talked about Musk's farewell appearance in the Oval Office on Friday, when he turned up with a black eye that he said was caused by a punch from his son.

Musk at the time was also facing reports of drug use on the Trump campaign trail.

"You saw a man who was very happy when he stood behind the Oval desk, and even with the black eye. I said, you want a little makeup? We'll get you a little makeup," Trump said.

"But he said, 'No, I don't think so,' which is interesting and very nice. He wants to be who he is."

Trump said he could understand why Musk was upset with some steps he had taken, including withdrawing a nominee to lead the NASA space agency whom the tech tycoon had backed.

Through it all, the visiting German chancellor sat silently.

Merz had prepared to avoid a repeat of the ambushes that Trump unleashed on the Ukrainian and South African presidents in the Oval Office -- but in the end it was Musk that the US president ambushed.

At the center of the bitter row is Trump's "big, beautiful bill" on tax and spending.

The centerpiece of his domestic agenda, it aims to continue tax cuts from his first term -- and could define his second term and make or break Republican prospects in the 2026 midterm elections.

Musk however called it a "disgusting abomination" on Tuesday, on the grounds that it will increase the US deficit.

A day later, the magnate called for Republicans to "kill the bill," and for an alternative plan that "doesn't massively grow the deficit."