Trump threatens ‘very serious consequences’ if Elon Musk finances Republican challengers
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President Donald Trump said his former adviser, billionaire Elon Musk, would face “very serious consequences” if he financed Republican candidates. Trump declined to share what those would be. Musk contributed nearly $300 million to help Republicans, including Trump, win the 2024 elections. Trump has already threatened to cancel Musk’s government subsidies for electric carmaker Tesla and contracts for rocket company SpaceX. He said he thought Musk turned on him because the legislation would end subsidies forElectric vehicles.
“If he does, he’ll have to pay the consequences for that,” Trump told NBC News on June 7. He declined to share what those would be. “He’ll have to pay very serious consequences if he does that.”
The rupture between the world’s most powerful man and the world’s richest man reaches far beyond their own relationship.
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Musk contributed nearly $300 million to help Republicans, including Trump, win the 2024 elections. He was a special White House adviser recommending ways to dismantle federal agencies and lay off workers. Trump thanked him repeatedly for his service and presented him with a gold key in the Oval Office on May 30.
But in the week after, Musk harshly called the House-passed legislative package of Trump’s top priorities a “disgusting abomination” and urged lawmakers to kill it, as the Senate debates the measure.
In response, Trump has already threatened to cancel Musk’s government subsidies for electric carmaker Tesla and contracts for rocket company SpaceX.
Trump said he thought Musk turned on him because the legislation would end subsidies for electric vehicles and because Trump discarded Musk’s choice to lead NASA.
Musk replied by threatening to shut down the Dragon spacecraft program that helps the U.S. transport astronauts and supplies to the International Space Station.
Trump has seemingly tried to temper his public comments about Musk, wishing his companies well. But he told reporters on Air Force One on June 6 that retaliation was possible.
“He’s got a lot of money. He gets a lot of subsidy, so we’ll take a look at that,” Trump said. “Only if it’s fair for him and for the country, I would certainly think about it. But it has to be fair.”
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump threatens ‘very serious consequences’ if Elon Musk finances Republican challengers