Topline
President Donald Trump said he wants his former ally-turned-foe Elon Musk to “thrive” and denied he’s considering docking Musk’s government business on Thursday—as Musk has repeatedly called out Trump over his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.
President Donald Trump takes to the stage at an AI summit hosted by All‑In Podcast and Hill & Valley … More
Key Facts
“Everyone is stating that I will destroy Elon’s companies by taking away some, if not all, of the large scale subsidies he receives from the U.S. government. This is not so!” Trump wrote on Truth Social,” insisting he wants Musk to “THRIVE like never before!”
Trump made the comments after Reuters reported earlier in the week the Trump administration is considering alternative contractors for the Golden Dome missile defense system to Musk’s Space X amid Trump’s feud with Musk.
Trump has also directly threatened Musk’s government subsidies, writing on Truth Social in early July Musk “may get more subsidy than any human being in history, by far” and without the money, “would probably have to close up shop and head back home to South Africa.”
The remarks come as Trump and his administration have made a series of moves widely viewed as an effort to detract from criticism of his administration’s handling of documents detailing the Justice Department’s Epstein investigation.
The president posted about Musk hours after the Wall Street Journal revealed Wednesday the Justice Department told Trump he was mentioned in the Epstein files—a claim Musk made amid his fallout with Trump last month, but has not mentioned it again in the wake of the Journal report.
Tangent
The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday that Attorney General Pam Bondi told Trump in May his name appeared in the documents multiple times, citing unnamed senior administration officials. Trump’s ties to Epstein are garnering renewed attention as the president has urged his supporters to move on from the controversy amid backlash over the Justice Department’s refusal to release the Epstein documents. The Journal also revealed last week that Trump sent Epstein a sexually suggestive 50th birthday card in 2003 that referenced a “wonderful secret” the two share. Trump denied writing the card and sued the Journal over the report. His spokesperson Steven Cheung called Wednesday’s report that Bondi told him he was in the files “another fake news story.”
Key Background
Musk and Trump’s months-long friendship devolved into an explosive breakup in June shortly after Musk ended his role leading the Department of Government Efficiency. Musk’s primary criticism of Trump was the amount his signature policy bill would add to the government debt, though Musk has also repeatedly trolled Trump over the Epstein files. Musk suggested House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., called an early recess in Congress earlier this week to avoid a vote whether to release the Epstein files because Trump might be in them, tweeting there is “only one reason” to avoid the vote. Earlier this month, after the Justice Department said it wouldn’t release any additional Epstein files, Musk called the move a “cover up (obviously)” because “many powerful people want that list suppressed.”
Further Reading
Musk Claimed Trump Was In The Epstein Files In June—And Has Trolled Him Ever Since (Forbes)
Everything Trump Has Done That Critics Say Is Meant To Distract From Epstein Scandal (Forbes)