The North News
Chandigarh, July 1
Tensions appear to be escalating between US President Donald Trump and billionaire tech mogul Elon Musk, following a wave of politically charged posts by Musk on his social media platform, X. On 5 June, Musk launched a provocative poll asking users: “Is it time to create a new political party in America that actually represents the 80 percent in the middle?” On Tuesday, he re-shared the poll’s results, noting that 80 percent of more than 5.6 million respondents backed the idea.
While Musk did not name Trump directly, the post has reignited speculation about growing political distance between the two — both of whom have held significant influence over American conservative circles in recent years.
Adding fuel to the fire, Musk also resurfaced a podcast clip from 9 September 2024, in which he delivered a grim warning about the US economy. “America is going bankrupt quickly, but everyone is whistling past the graveyard,” he said in the recording.
The Tesla and SpaceX CEO went on to criticise federal spending, pointing out that interest payments on the national debt had surpassed the US Defense Department’s annual budget — both now exceeding a trillion dollars a year. “We have to reduce the spending,” he added.
Though Trump and Musk have previously shared moments of mutual praise, these recent messages suggest a widening gap in their political outlooks, particularly on government spending and party representation.
Neither the White House nor the Trump campaign has publicly responded to Musk’s latest comments.
