US President Donald Trump hits back at Elon Musk, threatens with him with DOGE after proposed ‘America Party' announcement
The controversial spending bill, which is currently making its way through US Congress, has sparked fierce criticism from Musk, who previously described it as a "disgusting abomination".
Musk has since taken to social media to announce his plan to form the 'America Party' if the bill, which he has labelled 'insane', does pass.
'Our country needs an alternative to the Democrat-Republican uniparty so that the people actually have a VOICE,' Musk posted on X at about 8am on Tuesday AEST.
The world's richest man also reposted a chart which appeared to show historic levels of US national debt.
'They just pretend to be two parties,' Musk posted, appearing to reference the Republican and Democratic parties.
'It's just one uniparty in reality.'
President Trump has now hit back on his own social media platform, Truth Social, taking aim at Musk over the electric vehicle sales mandate introduced under former president Joe Biden.
'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,' Trump posted on the platform at 2.44pm on Tuesday, AEST.
The US commander-in-chief then claimed Musk possibly received more subsidies than 'any human being in history, by far' and that the Tesla boss would likely be forced to 'head back home to South Africa' without them.
He also appeared to threaten Musk with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) - a federal cost-cutting body created and headed by Musk before the billionaire departed from the role in May.
'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!!!' President Trump's post said.
The new comments come amid a continued public fallout between the President and Musk that broke out last month over the tax and spending bill, which is expected to add US$3.3 trillion to the country's national debt.
The pair since have since traded jabs over social media, including Musk claiming President Trump was 'in the Epstein files' and the US leader threatening to end Musk's "Governmental Subsidies and Contracts".
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Perth Now
32 minutes ago
- Perth Now
Australia makes case for tariff reprieve in Washington
Australia's foreign minister is making the case for an exemption from US tariffs in crucial talks with her American counterparts. Penny Wong has a one-on-one meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday morning, Australian time, as negotiations continue in Australia's hope of removing the economic measures. The face-to-face discussions with Mr Rubio take place in Washington on the sidelines of a meeting of Quad foreign ministers, which also includes Senator Wong's counterparts from India and Japan. It's the second time in six months foreign ministers from Quad nations have met for in-person talks, with the grouping also holding formal discussions in Washington in the days following US President Donald Trump's inauguration. Defence, trade and stability in the Indo-Pacific have been high on the agenda during the discussions. "The United States is our closest ally and principal strategic partner," Senator Wong said in a statement. "Our alliance contributes to the peace, prosperity and stability of our countries and the region we share." The meeting comes against a backdrop of tariffs due to apply to US trading partners from July 9. Mr Trump's administration has imposed the baseline tariff of 10 per cent on all Australian goods imported into the US, while a 50 per cent tariff on steel and aluminium has also been ordered. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been under pressure from the federal opposition to secure an in-person meeting with the president to argue for tariff removals. The two leaders were due to speak on the sidelines of the G7 session held in June in Canada, but the meeting was scrapped at the eleventh hour when Mr Trump left the summit early due to instability in the Middle East. A replacement meeting is yet to be scheduled.
AU Financial Review
43 minutes ago
- AU Financial Review
Trump's tax bill passes US Senate as Republicans notch major win
Washington | Donald Trump's $US3.3 trillion ($5 trillion) tax and spending cut bill passed the Senate after a furious push by Republican leaders to persuade holdouts to back the legislation and hand the president a political win. Senators voted 51-50 on Tuesday (Wednesday AEST) to pass the bill, with three Republicans — Susan Collins of Maine, Thom Tillis of North Carolina and Rand Paul of Kentucky, defying Trump to oppose the legislation. Vice President JD Vance cast the tie-breaking vote. The package, which now goes to the House, combines $US4.5 trillion in tax cuts with $US1.2 trillion in spending cuts.
News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
Trump hails new 'Alligator Alcatraz' migrant detention center
US President Donald Trump reveled in a new Florida migrant detention center dubbed "Alligator Alcatraz" Tuesday, joking that any escapees would be taught to run away from the reptiles to avoid being eaten. Critics of Trump's harsh immigration crackdown have called the site in the Everglades swamp inhumane, but the Republican embraced the controversy as he attended its official opening. "A lot of cops in the form of alligators -- you don't have to pay them so much," Trump told reporters in Ochopee, Florida. "I wouldn't want to run through the Everglades for long. It will keep people where they're supposed to be." The Florida detention center is part of the Trump administration's tough optics for its crackdown on undocumented migrants since the 78-year-old returned to power in January. The site on an abandoned airfield in the Everglades conservation area will cost an estimated $450 million and house 1,000 people, Florida authorities say. Florida's Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, who greeted Trump on the tarmac, said "we want to cut through bureaucracy... to get the removal of these illegals done." - 'Run away' - Trump, who has cracked down on undocumented migrants since returning to power, riffed on the idea of people running away from Florida wildlife as he left the White House earlier. "I guess that's the concept," Trump told reporters when asked if the idea behind the detention center was that people who escaped from it would get eaten by alligators or snakes. "This is not a nice business. Snakes are fast, but alligators... we're going to teach them how to run away from an alligator, okay? "If they escape prison, how to run away. Don't run in a straight line. Run like this. And you know what? Your chances go up about one percent." But Trump later embarked on one of his dark diatribes about immigration in a news conference at the site, describing an influx of undocumented migrants under Democratic predecessor Joe Biden as "disgusting" and falsely conflating most migrants with "sadistic" criminal gangs. The name "Alligator Alcatraz" is a reference to Alcatraz Island, the former prison in San Franciso that Trump recently said he wanted to reopen. That plan has apparently stalled after officials said it would cost too much and be too impractical to reopen the prison surrounded by shark-infested waters. As it seeks to look tough on migration, the Trump administration is also sending some undocumented migrants to the former "War on Terror" prison at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba. - 'Bite incidents' - Protesters against Trump's immigration policies have demonstrated outside the new Florida facility in recent days. Environmentalists have also criticized the creation of the camp in a conservation area. The Everglades National Park is particularly known as a major habitat for alligators, with an estimated population of around 200,000. They can reach up to 15 feet in length when fully grown. Attacks by alligators on humans are relatively rare in Florida. Across the entire state there were 453 "unprovoked bite incidents" between 1948 and 2022, 26 of which resulted in human fatalities, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. But authorities have played up the risk. Trump's "Alligator Alcatraz" visit comes as he tries to push a huge tax and spending bill through Congress this week. The "One Big Beautiful Bill" contains funding for Trump's immigration crackdown including an increase in places in detention centers. The deportation drive is part of a broader campaign of harsh optics on migration, including raids in Los Angeles that sparked protests against the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency.
