The strained relationship between United States President Donald Trump and tech billionaire Elon Musk has taken a dramatic new turn, with the president suggesting that deportation could be on the table and that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) may investigate Musk’s government contracts.
JUST IN: TRUMP SAYS ELON MUSK WOULD GO BROKE AND RETURN TO SOUTH AFRICA WITHOUT US GOVERNMENT SUBSIDIES
“Elon may get more subsidy than any human being in history, by far, and without subsidies, Elon would probably have to close up shop and head back home to South Africa.
No… pic.twitter.com/CP896OcqPH
— Khalissee (@Kahlissee) July 1, 2025
During an interaction with reporters on Tuesday, President Trump was asked directly whether he would consider deporting Elon Musk, who is a naturalised United States citizen originally from South Africa. Trump responded candidly:
“I do not know, we will have to take a look,”
the president remarked, fuelling speculation over the future of Musk’s role in the United States business and technology sectors.
Trump went further, implying that DOGE—the agency tasked with reviewing government spending and contracts—could be brought into the matter.
“We might have to put DOGE on Elon,”
the president suggested, before adding:
“DOGE is the monster that might have to go back and eat Elon.”
The president’s remarks come in the wake of Musk’s public criticisms of the administration’s latest budget bill. Last month, Musk resigned from his leadership position at DOGE, a role he had held while advocating for reduced federal spending. His resignation followed fierce opposition to Trump’s so-called “big, beautiful” budget bill, which controversially raises the national debt ceiling by $5 trillion.
The friction between the two former allies has been growing for weeks. On his Truth Social platform, Trump claimed that Musk was well aware of his opposition to electric vehicle mandates before publicly endorsing him for the presidency.
“Elon’s very upset that the [Electrical Vehicle] mandate is going to be terminated,”
Trump stated during Tuesday’s briefing, reiterating his stance that:
“Not everybody wants an electric car.”
Further addressing the dispute, Trump warned that Musk’s business empire could be in jeopardy without the assistance of government subsidies. He suggested that ending these subsidies could result in Musk needing to:
“Close up shop and head back home to South Africa.”
Trump argued that such a move could lead to significant financial savings for the United States, particularly in areas such as rocket launches, satellite deployments, and electric vehicle production.
“Perhaps we should have DOGE take a good, hard, look at this? BIG MONEY TO BE SAVED!!!”
he wrote in a characteristically emphatic post on Truth Social.
Meanwhile, Musk has not shied away from his own criticisms. Taking to the platform X (formerly known as Twitter), he slammed members of Congress who supported the controversial budget bill, accusing them of betraying promises to reduce government spending.
“Every member of Congress who campaigned on reducing government spending and then immediately voted for the biggest debt increase in history should hang their head in shame,”
Musk wrote, adding a pointed warning:
“They will lose their primary next year if it is the last thing I do on this Earth.”
In a further escalation of his political rhetoric, Musk repeated his call for the creation of an alternative political movement aimed at breaking the perceived dominance of the two-party system in the United States. He advocated for the establishment of what he terms the “America Party,” intended to give citizens a genuine voice in governance.
“Democrat-Republican uniparty so that the people actually have a voice,”
Musk declared, reinforcing his belief that current political structures do not adequately represent the American populace.
As tensions intensify, questions remain over how far President Trump is prepared to go in targeting one of the most prominent figures in technology and business. Observers are also questioning the practicality of deporting a naturalised citizen and whether such rhetoric signals policy action or remains a political manoeuvre intended to appeal to Trump’s base.
The possibility of DOGE scrutinising Musk’s enterprises—ranging from electric vehicle production to space exploration—could have wide-ranging implications for the United States economy and innovation sectors. The coming weeks are likely to reveal whether these threats translate into tangible consequences or remain part of the ongoing war of words between two of the country’s most outspoken personalities.
