Credit: Tuan Ayman Rashdan Wong

Just last week, reports emerged regarding the deteriorating relationship between Donald Trump and Elon Musk—once cordial, now noticeably strained.

This week? The situation has escalated into an all-out feud.

This development further underscores Elon Musk’s apparent lack of political prudence. He is often reactionary, with a tendency to speak impulsively. However, Trump is not known for restraint either—both men are equally volatile. In short, this is a spectacle of ego against ego. One might say even Xi Jinping would find it too exhausting to keep up with the drama.

The latest flashpoint appears to be a proposed piece of legislation titled the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB), a key part of Trump’s agenda to cut taxes and reduce government spending.

Trump has long championed tax reductions, particularly for the top 20% income bracket and his political allies. He has also sought to downscale public welfare spending. These goals are in line with the Republican Party’s neoliberal ideology: minimal government, reduced public expenditure, and widespread privatization.

Paradoxically, however, the OBBB allocates a significant $150 billion to defense spending and proposes raising the national debt ceiling by an additional $4 trillion. Currently, the U.S. federal debt stands at $36 trillion; with this proposed increase, it would rise to $40 trillion. For context, Malaysia’s national debt amounts to approximately $280 billion USD—less than 1% of the U.S. figure.

Elon Musk has voiced strong objections, claiming that OBBB contradicts his own efforts to curb government deficits. In the past, he faced public backlash for advocating cuts to wasteful spending. Yet now, Trump appears unbothered by the prospect of expanding national debt.

The OBBB has already passed the House of Representatives and is awaiting debate in the Senate. With Republicans holding a slim majority—53 out of 100 seats—the bill could still be blocked, especially as Elon Musk actively campaigns against it on X (formerly Twitter) and mobilizes his political network.

In response to Musk’s criticism, Trump issued a scathing retort:

"If you want to save government money, it’s simple—cancel all federal contracts with Elon’s companies signed during the Biden administration."

The implication: “Elon, you’ve enriched yourself with government funding. Don’t pretend to be morally above it all.”

Elon reacted emotionally, replying:

"If it weren’t for me, you would’ve lost the last election! So much for gratitude!"

The feud quickly descended into a tit-for-tat of personal grievances.

Trump, unwilling to back down, fired another jab:

“Elon’s just bitter because I didn’t support his electric car agenda.”

The situation reached a new level of intensity when Elon Musk “spilled the tea” on X, insinuating that Trump was among the clientele of Jeffrey Epstein.

Epstein, a Jewish financier notorious for his underage sex trafficking scandal, has become a symbol of elite corruption in America. Trump once pledged to release Epstein’s client list during his presidency—a promise that remains unfulfilled to this day.

Following Musk’s allegations, Trump appeared to tone down his rhetoric. He began to suggest that the OBBB had genuine merits. However, this does not indicate the end of their feud. Both men remain masterful performers in the theatre of political drama.

Who will prevail?

Despite Musk’s immense wealth, he lacks the political cunning of Peter Thiel—Trump’s advisor whose influence arguably exceeds Musk’s. Moreover, Musk’s recent behavior has begun to undermine the stability of his own companies. Tesla investors are urging him to refocus on his corporate responsibilities, but he remains entangled in political controversies. As a result, Tesla’s stock prices have fallen for two consecutive days.

This episode once again highlights the increasing dysfunction and decay within the American political system—a deterioration that threatens to erode its global standing.

Eid al-Adha Mubarak.

May this drama not merely reflect human conflict, but a manifestation of divine orchestration—where falsehood is gradually unmasked, and truth finds its rightful place.