I have to be honest and tell you that my heart sank when I saw that President Trump and Elon Musk were going at it on Thursday. Their alliance wasn’t just a headline—it was a political earthquake. When two of the most influential disruptors in America joined forces in 2024, it sent shockwaves through the establishment and gave millions of us real hope for bold, lasting change. The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) was just the beginning. We weren’t just expecting great things—we were getting them. And now? I’m left hoping this clash is just a bump in the road, not the beginning of the end.
The feud between Trump and Musk is disappointing, but it’s also the kind of high drama you get when two titans who genuinely want to disrupt the status quo—and have the track records to prove it—inevitably butt heads. Is it really all that shocking? Hardly. But if you actually step back and look at what’s fueling this conflict, you start to see that both men have points worth considering, and that neither deserves to be written off by their supporters.
For starters, President Trump has every right to defend the “One Big, Beautiful Bill.” Is it perfect? No. But, as White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller explained, as a reconciliation bill, it is “limited by Senate rules to ‘mandatory’ spending only” and “Senate rules prevent it from cutting ‘discretionary’ spending — eg the Department of Education or federal grants. The DOGE cuts are overwhelmingly discretionary, not mandatory.”
That said, Musk’s skepticism of the bill isn’t just self-interest disguised as principle. Say what you want about the man, but he’s built companies that have reshaped entire industries and will change the world. If Musk raises the alarm about bad policy or government overreach, it’s not because he’s desperate for another dollar. It’s because he’s seen firsthand what can go wrong when politicians put politics before progress. Musk’s willingness to challenge his own allies is part of what’s made him so effective at shaking up tech and space. He’s not attacking Trump’s agenda—he’s reminding us not to settle for half-baked wins.
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I’m trying to see this in as positive a light as possible, but I’m having a hard time convincing myself. In the end this very public argument is ultimately a sign of just how passionate both men are about reforming government and pushing America forward. Trump’s hard-nosed loyalty can sometimes burn bridges, but it can also keep the movement focused. Musk’s willingness to criticize allies may look like grandstanding, but it’s often a catalyst for better outcomes—and there are theories being floated out there that that’s what this is really about. I don’t know what to believe right now… I just want both of them to knock it off.
I really wish they could have worked out their issues on this behind closed doors, because the public brouhaha over this isn’t good for the Trump agenda. On social media, I’ve seen MAGA’s reaction split between those who back Trump and those who back Elon in this tiff. That is not good. Worse yet, the left is loving it. The left needs this right now more than anything, and it sucks that both Musk and Trump played into their hands.
My hope is that I’ll wake up in the morning and this will all be behind us.
