Trump-Musk Bromance Erupts in Brawl: Impeachment Calls, $150B Wipeout, and the Battle for the GOP’s Soul

Trump-Musk Bromance Erupts in Brawl: Impeachment Calls, $150B Wipeout, and the Battle for the GOP’s Soul  

The once-powerful alliance between President Donald Trump and tech billionaire Elon Musk has spectacularly collapsed, culminating in public threats, impeachment calls, and a historic stock crash. What began as a policy disagreement over Trump’s $3 trillion "One Big Beautiful Bill" exploded into a vicious feud on June 5, 2025, when Trump threatened to terminate
all government contracts and subsidiesfor Musk’s companies, calling it the "easiest way to save billions" . Musk retaliated in real-time on his platform X, endorsing a post demanding Trump’s impeachment with a simple "Yes," while claiming: "Without me, Trump would have lost the election". The fallout was instant: Tesla shares plummeted 14% in a single day, wiping out $150 billion in market value—the worst decline in the company’s history .  

Political Fallout and Business Carnage  

The rupture extends far beyond personal animosity. Musk’s businesses—including SpaceX, Tesla, and Starlink—rely heavily on $38 billion in government contracts . Trump’s threat to cancel these deals could cripple SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft program, the only U.S. vehicle ferrying astronauts to the International Space Station . Musk initially vowed to decommission Dragon but backtracked hours later after public pressure, posting: "Good advice. Ok, we won’t decommission Dragon" . Meanwhile, the feud has exposed fractures within the Republican Party. Musk amplified his attacks by floating a new centrist political party, warning that Trump’s tariffs would trigger a recession, and even alleging—without evidence—that Trump is named in Jeffrey Epstein’s sealed files . Republican lawmakers are now forced to choose sides, with allies like Rep. Troy Nehls (R-Texas) accusing Musk of losing his "damn mind" .  

From "First Buddy" to Foe: The Unraveling  

Just days before the blowup, Trump awarded Musk a ceremonial *golden key* in the Oval Office, hailing him as "one of the greatest innovators in history" . The relationship soured after Musk denounced Trump’s deficit-expanding bill as a "disgusting abomination," urging Republicans to "KILL THE BILL" . Trump claimed Musk’s opposition stemmed from the bill’s cuts to electric vehicle subsidies—a charge Musk denied, insisting he never saw the bill’s text . Analysts note the rift could jeopardize GOP control of Congress in 2026 midterms, as Musk—who spent $288 million electing Republicans in 2024—threatens to withhold future funding . By late Thursday, Musk signaled openness to de-escalate, agreeing with investor Bill Ackman that peace would benefit the country . Yet with Musk vowing "I’ll be around for 40+ years," this clash may redefine tech-power relations in America .