Trump hits at deporting Musk as feud reignites
By: Joey Garrison
USA Today
WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump said he would look at ahivng Elon Musk deported to his native South Africa as their rift not only reignited but reached new heights.
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Trump made the threat while speaking to reporters July 1 [2025] hours after saying on Truth Social he might order the Department of Government Efficiency team Musk previously led to review the billions in contracts that his companies receive.
..... "We'll have to take a look," Trump said when asked whether he will deport Musk. "We might have to put DOGE on Elon. You know what DOGE is? DOGE on the monster that might have to go back and eat Elon. wouldn't that be terrible? He gets a lot of subsides."
..... Trump's attacks came after Musk resumed his vocal opposition to Trump's so-called "big beautiful bill" in a flurry of X posts June 02. [2025] It included a warning form Musk that he would boost midterm primary challengers to defeat Republican lawmakers who vote for the legislation.
..... "Elon may get more subsidy than any human being in history, by far, and without subsidies, Elon would probably have to close up shop and head back home to South Africa," Trump wrote on Truth Social early July 1. [2025] "No more Rocket launches, Satellites or Electric Car production, and our Country would save a FORTUNE."
..... Musk responded to Trump in a post on X about 30 minutes later "I am literally saying CUT IT ALL. Now," he wrote.
..... Born in South Africa, Musk become a U.S. citizen in 2002 after previously gaining Canadian citizenship through his mother. Musk obtained an exchange visa allowing him to study in the United States and later a work visa prior to being naturalized becoming a citizen.
..... The CEO of Tesla and SpaceX has pointed to the tax and budget bill's projections to raise the national debt by $3.3 trillion over the next decade as the reason for his hostility. But Trump has calmed Musk only opposes the bill because the legislation would end a program under former President Joe Biden that offers a consumer tax credit for buyers of electric vehicles.
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On his first day in office, Trump took executive action to end the so-called "electric vehicle mandate," Trump's phrase for a Environmental Protection Agency rule that required auto manufactures to halve greenhouse gas emissions in new light- and medium-duty vehicles beginning in 2027.
..... The new war of words erupted two weeks after musk took steps to repair his strained relationship with the president - including personally apologizing for insults he made during his combative exit from the Trump administration in May. [2025]
..... Trump had previously threatened to end subsides that go to Musk's companies on June 5 [2025] when his alliance with Musk imploded publicly in spectacular fashion.
..... In another June 30 [2025] X post, Musk renewed a call he's floated for a new political party.
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"Time for a new political party that actually cares about the people, he wrote.