Following a recent public spat with Donald Trump, who is now raising the prospect of deporting the Tesla and SpaceX tycoon from the United States, Elon Musk may be facing one of the most significant political battles of his life.
Regarding the controversial remarks he made last week regarding President Donald Trump, Elon Musk has substantially changed his mind.
The narrative was heavily influenced by the power dynamic between Trump and Musk after the former won the presidency last year. Trump’s appointment of Musk as the de facto head of the Department of Government Efficiency further demonstrated their apparent closeness.
Mass hysteria was sparked by the developing bromance between two of the world’s most powerful men. However, as of July 2025, everything has changed.
When Musk and Trump clashed on social media in early June, exchanging scathing accusations and severing their once-strong bond, the drama erupted.
Since then, Musk has retaliated forcefully, promising to support campaigns against Republican lawmakers and even starting his own political party to overthrow the current administration. If these actions are successful, they could completely upend American politics.
Trump is not defending himself.
Trump isn’t merely playing defense, though. The president has also threatened to sever government support from Musk, focusing on the subsidies Tesla receives for electric vehicles and even proposing to sever connections with organizations like NASA that mainly depend on Musk’s businesses.
The stakes appear to be higher than before. Given Musk’s naturalized U.S. citizenship, Trump’s recent suggestion that deporting him might be possible is startling.
Trump responded teasingly but seriously when Fox News asked him if he was seriously considering deporting Musk: “We’ll have to take a look.”
With a hint of humor, he added:
We may need to place Elon under DOGE. Are you familiar with DOGE? The creature that may have to return and devour Elon. That would be awful, wouldn’t it? He receives numerous subsidies.
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."
— DogeDesigner (@cb_doge) July 1, 2025
Trump’s earlier threats to terminate all government contracts with SpaceX and Tesla appear to be reinforced by the “DOGE” reference, which appears to indicate a crackdown on the government subsidies Musk’s businesses currently receive.
The tech and auto industries would be rocked by the possibility of seizing Musk’s businesses as part of deportation talks, according to a former White House official.
Elon Musk responds
Musk didn’t remain silent as usual. He retaliated against X with the following cryptic yet defiant message:
It would be so easy to escalate this. So very alluring. But for the time being, I will abstain.
Despite all of the tension between the two men, Elon changed his mind on July 2nd and instead praised Trump in a rather unusual tweet. “When credit is due, give it. Elon posted on Twitter, “@realDonaldTrump has successfully resolved several serious conflicts around the world.”
Credit where credit is due. @realDonaldTrump has successfully resolved several serious conflicts around the world. pic.twitter.com/0EyHHy5Gfo
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 2, 2025
Although it’s unclear what Musk will do next, many believe he’s considering ways to defend his position in the law or thwart any efforts to sever his business ties to the government.
Deporting Elon Musk is not an easy task from a legal standpoint. Musk first entered the country on a student visa before becoming a naturalized citizen in 2002. Immigration experts say that status shields him from regular attempts to deport him.
The door isn’t entirely closed, though. The government might try to contest Musk’s citizenship by claiming that he applied dishonestly or fraudulently. This would be an unusually difficult and dangerous legal path, especially considering Musk’s prominence. Deportation to his country of birth, South Africa, or possibly Canada or Russia, might be an option if such a case were to succeed.
However, there is no proof that Musk did anything improper during the citizenship process, and it would be extremely difficult to deport someone of his caliber.
But if it means taking aim at one of its most vocal opponents, the Trump administration seems willing to go to extreme lengths.
This political drama is far from over, and if it gets worse, there could be serious repercussions for Musk, his businesses, and even American politics. Musk has decided to wait for now, but with the stakes so high, he could make a move at any time. How do you feel about Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s strained relationship? Tell us in the comments section.
