President Donald Trump on Saturday said there would be “serious consequences” if tech mogul Elon Musk funds Democratic candidates to run against Republicans who vote in favor of the GOP’s sweeping budget bill.
“If he does, he’ll have to pay the consequences for that,” Trump told NBC News in a phone interview, but declined to share what those consequences would be.
Trump said he has no plans to speak with Musk anytime soon.
In the Oval Office on Thursday, Trump responded to Musk’s criticisms, telling reporters, “I’m very disappointed because Elon knew the inner workings of this bill.
But I think Elon, really, I think it’s a shame that he’s so depressed and so heartbroken.”
If tech tycoon Elon Musk finances Democratic candidates to run against Republicans who support the GOP’s comprehensive budget bill, President Donald Trump warned on Saturday that there would be “serious consequences.”.
In a phone interview with NBC News, Trump stated, “If he does, he’ll have to pay the consequences for that,” but he would not specify what those consequences would be.
“If he does that,” he continued, “he’ll have to pay very serious consequences.”.
In addition, the president stated that he has no intention of mending his relationship with Musk, following a public dispute between the two men earlier this week.
Trump responded, “No,” when asked if he had any desire to do so.
Trump responded, “I would assume so, yeah,” when asked if he believed his relationship with the CEOs of SpaceX and Tesla was over. “.”.
Trump’s remarks were the most in-depth since earlier this week, when he and Musk threatened and attacked X and Truth Social. After the two men’s public spat, he went on to say that he believed the Republican Party was more united than before.
Trump stated that he does not currently have any plans to speak with Musk. He added, “I have no intention of speaking to him; I’m too busy doing other things.”. “”.
Musk was also charged by Trump with being “disrespectful to the office of the President.”. “”.
Because of his extreme disrespect, I believe it’s a very bad thing. “You could not treat the President’s office disrespectfully,” he continued.
A now-deleted post that highlighted the president’s past connections to the late sexual offender Jeffrey Epstein was among the many anti-president posts Musk made on X on Thursday.
That is referred to as “old news,” Trump stated on Saturday, adding that it has been discussed for years. “Epstein’s lawyer even denied any involvement on my part. The news is outdated. “”.
Musk had been critical of a GOP-led spending bill that was passed by the House last month in the days before their public spat.
In response to Musk’s criticisms, Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Thursday, “I’m very disappointed because Elon knew the inner workings of this bill.”. I am quite dissatisfied with Elon. I have much assistance for Elon. “.”.
In response, Trump posted his own responses on Truth Social on Thursday. “I don’t mind Elon turning against me, but he should have done so months ago,” he wrote in one post, implying that Musk was aware of the bill’s contents prior to its passage.
“The simplest way to save billions and billions of dollars in our budget is to terminate Elon’s Governmental Subsidies and Contracts,” he wrote on Thursday, referring to federal contracts with SpaceX. Every time, I was shocked that Biden didn’t do it.
Trump stated on Saturday that he had not further considered his proposal to revoke federal contracts for Musk’s businesses.
He stated, “I’d be permitted to do that, but I haven’t thought about it.”. “”.
Outside allies like conservative activist Steve Bannon have called for the federal government to look into Musk’s business activities and immigration history, and Trump has reacted to their calls.
The president said he hasn’t had those discussions with NBC News. Trump stated, “I mean, it’s not something that’s on top of my mind right now.”.
Additionally, he said he is “very confident” that the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” will pass the Senate before July 4, casting doubt on the idea that Musk’s resistance to the bill is endangering its prospects of success.
“This is the most united Republican Party in history.”. Never has it been. In actuality, it’s higher than it was three days ago, Trump stated.
Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign received significant financial backing from Musk, who last year spent more than a quarter of a billion dollars to support him in swing states. Musk oversaw the shutdown or partial closure of multiple agencies and the mass layoffs of federal employees in the first months of the administration after Trump appointed him head of the Department of Government Efficiency.
Trump claimed that the feud has helped lawmakers see the bill’s advantages.
Trump remarked, “I think, actually, Elon brought out the strengths of the bill because people who weren’t as focused started focusing on it and they see how good it is.”. Thus, there was a significant favor in that regard. However, I genuinely believe that Elon’s extreme sadness and heartbreak are regrettable. “.”.
