Tesla stock takes a dive amid heated public dispute between Elon Musk and Donald Trump
The ongoing feud between Tesla CEO Elon Musk and former U.S. President Donald Trump has taken a dramatic turn, causing a significant shake-up in the markets and heightening political tensions.
The conflict, which has been publicly acrimonious since mid-2025, began over Musk's criticism of Trump's handling of sensitive issues like the Jeffrey Epstein files. This escalated when Trump expressed his disappointment with Musk and threatened to end government subsidies and contracts for Musk's companies, particularly SpaceX.
In response, Musk has been vocal on his social media platform X, accusing Trump of a cover-up and suggesting that Trump's name appeared in the Epstein files. This has led to a series of heated exchanges between the two, with Musk mocking Trump's nickname for a legislative bill and Trump mocking Musk's recent black eye.
The political drama between Musk and Trump has shaken investor confidence, causing Tesla's market value to drop roughly $150 billion by day's end. The feud has sent shockwaves through the markets, with each new development closely followed on X and Truth Social.
Recently, Musk replied "Yes" to a post calling for Trump's impeachment and replacement with Senator JD Vance. Trump, in turn, mocked Musk's opposition to his tax and spending bill, calling Musk self-interested. Musk responded by accusing Trump of ingratitude and claiming credit for helping Trump win the last election.
The feud between these two influential figures extends beyond personal grievances, reflecting broader political and legal tensions. The ongoing review and willingness to target Musk's business contracts highlight the level of conflict and the potential for government power to be used for political retaliation.
As the dispute continues through 2025, it remains to be seen which side Musk and Trump's similar allies will pick in this public fight. The feud has escalated, with the former allies now becoming public enemies, and further actions are anticipated from both sides.
[1] The New York Times. (2025). The Musk-Trump Feud: A High-Profile Conflict That Shakes Markets and Raises Political Tensions. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/10/business/musk-trump-feud.html
[2] The Washington Post. (2025). Musk Accuses Trump of Cover-up, Trump Threatens to End Government Subsidies for Musk's Companies. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/06/10/musk-accuses-trump-cover-up-trump-threatens-end-government-subsidies-for-musks-companies/
- The heated exchange between Elon Musk and Donald Trump, two influential figures in finance, business, politics, and entertainment, has resulted in significant market volatility, general-news headlines, and increased political tension.
- The ongoing feud between Musk and Trump, beyond personal grievances, also reflects broader tensions in entertainment, business, and politics, causing investor confidence to waver and industries to closely monitor each new development.
