Regardless of how people view the world’s richest man, the prominent entrepreneur Elon Musk, and the U.S. President Donald Trump, it is widely agreed that they are both powerful figures. Without exceptional traits such as confidence, initiative, resilience, courage, assertiveness, and strong convictions, no one can achieve the level of success they have in their respective fields.
When President Trump invited Musk to take on a leadership role in his newly established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), it was clear to observers from the start that this was an intriguing combination. Considering the achievements of both individuals and their extraordinary personalities, what kind of success could they achieve by joining forces? The potential for this duo to generate significant momentum is evident. Of course, the clash of egos is also quite apparent.
Recent disputes between the two have been unsettling for millions of Americans who support reducing the size of the bloated federal government. Contrary to this, the quarrel between Trump and Musk has been warmly welcomed by opposition parties and all those opposed to the mission of government experts.
So, let’s examine what has unfolded from several perspectives.
From the outset, Elon Musk, a titan of the business world, seems like the ideal candidate for “draining the swamp.” On one hand, his execution and problem-solving abilities are legendary. On the other hand, Musk’s companies have received around $38 billion in government subsidies, loans, and tax breaks, as reported by The Washington Post. Although I cannot confirm the accuracy of this figure, it is apparent that Musk’s business empire has been heavily subsidized by the federal government.
At first glance, Musk might seem like an odd choice for cutting government spending. However, upon closer inspection, it becomes clear that Musk is someone willing to prioritize national welfare over profiting from government interventions. According to a report by Jack Phillips of The Epoch Times, Musk supported Trump’s presidential campaign last year because the latter “promised… to abolish federal mandates on electric cars,” despite the negative impact this would have on Musk’s flagship company, Tesla. Not many corporate leaders would support a presidential candidate who pledges to shut down the federal gravy train for tax incentives, but Musk did. As Phillips reported, Musk stated, “As long as [eliminating electric car incentives] apply to everybody, I’m at the competition.” Musk’s actions demonstrate that he is a patriotic American willing to compete on a level playing field, rather than a typical special interest manipulator.
I believe that Musk’s recent criticism of Congress, the president, and the swamp in Washington may stem from feelings of frustration, disappointment, failure, or even betrayal. He could have spent the time he allocated to these endeavors providing more leadership value for his companies. His painstaking efforts to reduce government spending seem to have been in vain, which must be incredibly disheartening for him. He referred to President Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” as an “abomination” and lambasted Congress for being weak, feeble, corrupt (inferred), and betraying American taxpayers to special interest groups and entrenched insiders. I find myself not disagreeing with Musk’s sentiments.
As for President Trump, is he a villain pushing for Congress to pass the “Big Beautiful Bill”? In fact, Trump’s fervent support for the spending bill he proposed might seem questionable. He has criticized various absurd, excessive, and indefensible government expenditures himself. However, now he appears willing to make too many concessions to the status quo. Is Trump a fake gentleman? Or an irredeemable scoundrel? Clearly, he is neither.
So, what is the reason behind all this? It ultimately depends on one’s perspective. As an ordinary citizen, I believe President Trump would advocate for cutting more spending than what the Big Beautiful Bill contains. But he is the president, a politician. What’s that old saying about politics? It’s the “art of the possible.” I am convinced there are aspects of the Big Beautiful Bill that Trump personally despises, but he recognizes a political reality: if he wants enough votes to ensure the passage of his bill, he must make some unpalatable compromises. From this standpoint, Elon Musk’s frustration is not with Donald Trump personally but with the political reality on Capitol Hill.
No one knows how the future relationship between President Trump and Musk will unfold, but there are clear signs that recent rifts are already on the mend. I believe both of them will overlook the words spoken in a moment of impulse. Subsequently, Musk expressed regret for some of his posts criticizing Trump on social media, calling them “over the top.”
According to Phillips’ report, President Trump is likely to forgive (or may have already forgiven) Musk’s outburst and see it as evidence of genuine patriotism, a real desire to reduce spending to help the country, rather than engage in personal attacks. In turn, I also believe Musk will forgive Trump, as he recognizes that even the most powerful U.S. presidents can sometimes find themselves constrained and unable to secure the votes necessary to achieve all their goals.
Regardless of the future status of the relationship between Trump and Musk, the bottom line for the rest of us is that the Big Beautiful Bill contains both positive and negative provisions. For better or worse, this is the political reality in the United States in the summer of 2025.