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By Theo Burman
Live News Reporter
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The relationship that has defined the second Trump administration is breaking down, according to those closest to the president.
The partnership of Elon Musk and President Donald Trump has been central to White House operations since the administration took office in January, but with Musk now stepping away from the limelight, there are signs that the personal bond between the two has frayed.
Newsweek contacted Musk and the White House for comment via email.
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Why It Matters
As head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Musk has led the charge on cuts to federal spending, and as the owner of X, formerly Twitter, he has made himself a top advocate for the administration's policies through his prolific social media activity. Trump has in turn praised Musk as a "genius" and backed his electric car company, Tesla, during the height of anti-Musk protests that targeted the vehicles.
The two often said there was a personal relationship underpinning their collaboration, with Musk becoming a regular at Mar-a-Lago during the administration's transition period.
What To Know
It appears that Musk's departure from his public-facing role at DOGE has coincided with increasing frustrations between him and the president.
Musk often clashed with top figures in the White House, including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent over management of the IRS, Secretary of State Marco Rubio over the abolition of USAID, and the president himself over his intervention in Wisconsin's Supreme Court election in April, The Atlantic reported.
"He's finished, done, gone. He polls terrible. People hate him," an anonymous source close to the Republican Party told Politico. "He'd go to Wisconsin thinking he can buy people's votes, wear the cheese hat, act like a 9-year-old. … It doesn't work. It's offensive to people."
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Since announcing that he would focus more on his tech companies, Musk has also increasingly criticized Trump's policies. On Tuesday, he said he was "disappointed" by Trump's "big, beautiful bill," as it included too much federal spending—the very thing Musk and DOGE spent months trying to cut.
"It increases the budget deficit, not just decreases it, and undermines the work that the DOGE team is doing," Musk said in an interview with CBS.
"I think a bill can be big or it can be beautiful, but I don't know if it can be both. My personal opinion," he added.
Other clashes between the two include Musk's opposition to Trump's "Liberation Day" tariffs. The billionaire's tech companies rely heavily on the international supply chains that the tariffs have disrupted.
Musk also appeared to contradict Trump's long-standing bid to promote fossil fuels over renewable energy, writing on social media on Tuesday, "Compared to solar, oil is small-time."
What People Are Saying
Vice President JD Vance said in April: "DOGE has got a lot of work to do, and yeah, that work is going to continue after Elon leaves. But fundamentally, Elon is going to remain a friend and an adviser of both me and the president."
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt also said: "Elon Musk and President Trump have both publicly stated that Elon will depart from public service as a special government employee when his incredible work at DOGE is complete."
What Happens Next
Musk has said his attention is now on his tech companies, most notably Tesla and SpaceX.
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