Trump might deport Elon Musk to South Africa - President to use DOGE to investigate the Tesla CEO

Just weeks after a fallout between US president Donald Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, they are now locked in a deeply personal and very public war of words, one that took a dramatic turn on Monday night when Trump suggested Musk might have to “go back to South Africa” if federal subsidies were stripped from his companies, as per a report.

Donald Trump Once Again Targets Elon Musk

Trump's threat came in his late-night social media post on his Truth Social account, and he also hinted at using the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, which was once being led by Musk, to investigate how much government funding Musk’s businesses have received over the years, according to the Independent report.

The US president wrote on Truth Social, "Elon Musk knew, long before he so strongly Endorsed me for President, that I was strongly against the EV Mandate. It is ridiculous, and was always a major part of my campaign. Electric cars are fine, but not everyone should be forced to own one," as per his post.



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Will Elon Musk’s Own Agency Turn Against Him?

Trump even highlighted that, "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 more Rocket launches, Satellites, or electric car production, and our Country would save a FORTUNE. Perhaps we should have DOGE take a good, hard, look at this? BIG MONEY TO BE SAVED!!!," as per his Truth Social post.

The rift between both of them came after Musk’s mounting criticism of Trump’s tax bill, called the "big, beautiful bill", which is currently being debated in the Senate, according to the Independent report. The bill would roll back key incentives for electric vehicles and could make electric vehicle ownership more expensive by removing consumer tax credits for new EVs if the bill is passed, as reported by the Independent.

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Elon Musk Criticises the "Big, Beautiful Bill"

While, earlier on Monday, the Tesla CEO vowed to bankroll primary challenges against GOP lawmakers who voted to pass Trump’s multi-trillion-dollar tax bill as the Senate debated its final passage, as reported by the Independent. The tech billionaire argued that the new legislation would add trillions to the national debt over the next decade and that proposed spending cuts are insufficient to fund its other provisions, according to the report.

Musk wrote on his social media platform X, “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,” he wrote on X. “And they will lose their primary next year if it is the last thing I do on this Earth,” as quoted by the Independent.

Elon Musk Floats a New Political Party

He even pointed out that if the bill passes, he would form a new “America Party” the very “next day,” as quoted in the report. Musk also emphasised that “Our country needs an alternative to the Democrat-Republican uniparty so that the people actually have a VOICE,” as quoted by the Independent report.

FAQs

Why are Trump and Musk fighting?
The feud began after Musk criticised Trump’s proposed tax bill, which cuts EV incentives, a blow to Musk’s companies.

What did Trump say about Musk?
Trump implied Musk owes his success to federal subsidies and suggested he might have to “go back to South Africa” without them.