Elon Musk responds to Trump’s ‘might have to put DOGE’ remarks: ‘So tempting to escalate this….but…’

US President Donald Trump warned Elon Musk that he may have to "go back to South Africa" if federal funding for his businesses is cut off. In a post on Truth Social on July 1 (June 30 in the US), Trump said Musk relies heavily on government subsidies and criticised federal support for electric vehicles. The tech billionaire has now responded to Trump’s remarks on X (formerly Twitter). Replying to one such clip shared by X user DogeDesigner, the Tesla CEO said “So tempting to escalate this. So, so tempting. But I will refrain for now”. In the video, a reporter asked Trump if he is going to deport Musk. To this, Trump replied “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.”

The conversation signals a rising rift between the two, who were once seen as allies. The tensions have grown over the Republican Party’s new spending bill, which Trump supports and Musk has opposed. The bill, known informally as the “Big Beautiful Bill,” has become a fresh point of conflict between the former president and the tech billionaire.

Elon Musk to form ‘America party’

Earlier today, Musk announced that if the “One Big, Beautiful Bill” passes in the Senate, he will immediately move forward with launching a new political party called the “America Party.” Musk argued that the United States currently functions as a one-party system dominated by financial self-interest. His post read, “If this insane spending bill passes, the America Party will be formed the next day. Our country needs an alternative to the Democrat-Republican uniparty so that the people actually have a VOICE.”