United States President Donald Trump has hinted that he may consider the deportation of South African-born billionaire Elon Musk following their recent political fallout.
Speaking to reporters at the White House on Tuesday, Trump responded to questions about possibly deporting Elon Musk, saying, “I don’t know. We’ll have to take a look.”
The rift between the two influential figures comes after Elon Musk publicly criticised Trump’s key legislative effort, known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” particularly over the decision to scale back support for electric vehicles (EVs).
Trump, who once enjoyed Elon Musk’s strong support and financial backing during the 2024 presidential race, appeared visibly upset about Elon Musk’s recent opposition, adding that the government’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) might also begin reviewing Musk’s access to government subsidies.
“We might have to put DOGE on Elon. You know what DOGE is? DOGE is the monster that might have to go back and eat Elon,”Trump said, in what appeared to be a half-joking but pointed warning.
The US president further claimed Elon Musk’s frustrations stem from the removal of EV-friendly policies from the bill.
“He’s losing his EV mandate. He’s very upset about things, but he could lose a lot more than that,” Trump said.
On his Truth Social platform, Trump also suggested that Elon Musk’s success in the US has largely depended on government subsidies.
“Without subsidies, Elon would probably have to close up shop and head back home to South Africa,” Trump stated.
Elon Musk, who is currently the world’s richest man and founder of companies such as Tesla and SpaceX, had previously maintained a close relationship with Trump and served as the head of DOGE before stepping down in May.
Their relationship, however, deteriorated after Elon Musk accused Trump and the Republican Party of stepping back from leadership in clean energy and EV advancement.
Elon Musk has since hinted at forming a new political movement, the “America Party,” if the controversial spending bill passes.