Trump Threatens Elon Musk Again, Says He May Have to Return to South Africa if Subsidies Are Cut

The tensions have intensified since Musk publicly opposed Trump’s flagship “One Big Beautiful Bill.”In a recent post on his social media platform X, Trump stated, “Elon Musk knew, long before he strongly endorsed me for President, that I was strongly against the EV mandate. It is ridiculous and was always a major part of my campaign. Electric cars are fine, but not everyone should be forced to own one.”

Trump further warned Musk, saying, “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. No more rocket launches, satellites, or electric car production, and our country would save a fortune.”

In response, Musk, the world’s richest person, criticized the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” warning that its passage in the Senate would lead him to form a new political party called the “America Party” the very next day. Musk has argued that the bill could add trillions to the US national debt, a concern echoed by some Republican critics.

Trump’s remarks about Musk returning to South Africa, where he was born, mark a sharp escalation in their public spat, which has already caused significant market volatility, with Tesla’s shares dropping 14% during a recent flare-up, wiping out about $150 billion in market value.