Trump says DOGE ‘might have to go back and eat’ Elon Musk. Tesla CEO replies

🚨 President Trump on Elon Musk today:

“He is upset he is losing the EV mandate. He can lose a lot more than that.”

pic.twitter.com/8QqQgpJXVv

— DogeDesigner (@cb_doge) July 1, 2025

“We might have to put DOGE on Elon. You know what DOGE is? DOGE is the monster that might have to go back and eat Elon. Wouldn’t that be terrible?,” Trump said, adding, “I don’t think he should be playing that game with me.”

When a reporter asked if Trump is considering deporting Musk, he responded that he didn’t know but would “take a look”.

Earlier on Monday, Trump had made similar comment, saying Musk was attacking the bill because he was annoyed that it had dropped measures to support the electric vehicles (EV) industry.

“Without subsidies, Elon would probably have to close up shop and head back home to South Africa,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social handle.

Trump also signalled that he could take aim at the huge contracts that Musk’s SpaceX rocket and Starlink satellite internet businesses receive from the US government.

Musk on Tuesday, once again weighed in on his growing feud with Trump. “So tempting to escalate this. So, so tempting. But I will refrain for now,” Musk posted on X, responding to a video of Trump making the remarks.

REPORTER: “Are you going to deport Elon Musk?”

TRUMP: “We’ll have to take a look. We might have to put DOGE on Elon. You know what DOGE is? The monster that might have to go back and eat Elon. Wouldn’t that be terrible? He gets a lot of subsidies.”

pic.twitter.com/gOZB96nsVh

— DogeDesigner (@cb_doge) July 1, 2025

Musk, once Trump’s biggest political backer in the 2024 election, has dramatically shifted gears. After months as a close ally and head of Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Musk has turned increasingly critical since stepping down from the role in May.

Now, the SpaceX and Tesla CEO is threatening to use his immense wealth to oppose Trump, even floating the idea of launching a new political party aimed at challenging Republican lawmakers who support the president’s marquee spending bill.