In a stunning escalation of their rapidly deteriorating relationship, Elon Musk has publicly called for President Donald Trump to be impeached and replaced by Vice President J.D. Vance, following a fiery online exchange that’s sent shockwaves through Washington.
The explosive suggestion came after political commentator Ian Miles Cheong posed a provocative question on X: “President vs Elon. Who wins? My money’s on Elon. Trump should be impeached and JD Vance should replace him.”
Musk’s one-word reply? “Yes.”
Musk Warns of Economic Doom
Musk didn’t stop there. He issued a stark warning about Trump’s economic agenda, predicting disaster if the former president moves forward with his aggressive tariff policies:
“The Trump tariffs will cause a recession in the second half of this year,” the Tesla CEO claimed.
Personal Attacks & Space Threats
The feud reached new heights when Musk accused Trump of appearing in the infamous Epstein files. He then threatened to begin decommissioning SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft—currently used by NASA to ferry astronauts and supplies to the International Space Station.
Trump, in response, raged on Truth Social, claiming he “pushed Musk out” and that the tech mogul had gone “CRAZY!” The president even threatened to cancel SpaceX and Tesla’s government contracts, saying:
“The easiest way to save billions in our budget is to terminate Elon’s subsidies and contracts.”
Bannon Calls for Musk’s Deportation
Steve Bannon, one of Trump’s closest allies, took the drama even further. He suggested Musk—who was born in South Africa—should be deported.
“I strongly believe he is an illegal alien and should be deported immediately,” Bannon told The New York Times.
He later slammed Musk as an “unstable individual” and a “national security issue” on his War Room podcast.
A Rift Fueled by Power, Policy & Personal Grudges
The Musk-Trump split comes after months of rising tension. Musk objected to a Republican spending bill, saying it undermined cost-saving efforts at his companies, while Trump insisted it was “one of the greatest bills ever presented to Congress.”
According to Trump, Musk turned on him because the administration scaled back electric vehicle mandates—hurting Tesla—and rejected Musk’s preferred NASA nominee, Jared Isaacman, a SpaceX veteran.
“He’s upset because we took away billions in EV subsidies,” Trump said.
Musk’s retort? A sarcastic “Whatever.”
Musk Claims Credit for Trump’s Win
In a jaw-dropping post, Musk claimed Trump would have lost the 2024 election without his support:
“Without me, Trump would have lost. Dems would control the House, and Republicans would be 51–49 in the Senate,” he wrote, accusing Trump of “such ingratitude.”
Musk, who donated nearly $290 million to Trump’s campaign and joined him at the site of the Butler, PA assassination attempt, now says he has more long-term power than Trump:
“Trump has 3.5 years left. I’ll be around for 40+.”
Epstein Files Accusation
The most jaw-dropping claim of all: Musk alleged Trump is featured in the sealed Jeffrey Epstein files.
“@RealDonaldTrump is in the Epstein files. That’s why they haven’t been released,” Musk posted.
“Have a nice day, DJT.”
Though the Trump administration has already released some files—showing Trump’s name among many others—Musk implied a deeper, unrevealed connection. Trump has not directly addressed the accusation, merely posting a dismissive response on Truth Social.
The Fallout
Tesla shares have since dropped amid the controversy. Even Kanye West chimed in, pleading on X:
“Broooos please noooooo. We love you both so much.”
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed Musk’s outbursts, calling it “an unfortunate episode” by someone upset over the new legislation.
A Trump insider, meanwhile, noted:
“If Elon really believed Trump was hiding Epstein secrets, why did he spend six months saying he ‘loved him as much as a straight man can love another?’”