7am Trump, Musk and the big, beautiful break-up
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Jun 11, 2025 Nick Robins-Early, a tech and power reporter for The Guardian, dives into the tumultuous relationship between Elon Musk and Donald Trump. Once allies, they now exchange barbs over social media, particularly concerning Trump's tax cut proposals. Their feud could jeopardize NASA missions and highlights the risks of surrendering critical services to billionaires. Robins-Early also discusses the implications of tech moguls wielding power in global politics, as seen with Musk's influence during the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
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Musk-Trump Breakup Origins
- Elon Musk and Donald Trump had a mutually beneficial friendship that began to fray as Musk exited the administration.
- A key point of tension was the withdrawal of Musk's preferred NASA administrator nominee and later disputes over Trump's tax bill.
Tax Bill Sparks Feud
- Musk publicly opposed Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill" tax cuts, calling it an abomination.
- Trump saw Musk's criticism as betrayal, especially given the bill's impact on the EV mandate funding.
Escalation to Threats
- The feud escalated from insults to threats, with Trump threatening to cancel Musk's government contracts.
- Musk retaliated by threatening to decommission SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft crucial for NASA.