The Cost of Conviction
June 5, 2025 (original publication date)
by Jaymie Johns
Summary
What started as an unlikely but effective alliance between Donald Trump and Elon Musk has detonated into a very public, very personal political feud. The shift wasn’t gradual—it was a nosedive that happened the moment Musk criticized Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill,” a $2.4 trillion tax-and-spend proposal. The result? A blowout on social media between the former president and the world’s richest man, complete with threats, accusations, and—of course—memes.
But this isn’t just about two powerful men insulting each other online. The deeper story is about consistency versus convenience, and how quickly Trump turned on Musk the moment their interests diverged. Musk, on the other hand, has held the same core views—whether they’ve aligned with Trump’s goals or not.
Alignment
Musk never campaigned for Trump. But once Trump was elected, Musk agreed to serve on his presidential advisory councils—on the logic that he could influence policy from the inside. He publicly disagreed with Trump’s stance on immigration and climate, but remained, for a time, part of the conversation.
And Trump liked having him there.
On January 22, 2020, at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Trump praised Musk with his usual flair:
2016 – 2020
“He’s one of our great geniuses. We have to protect our genius. You know, we have to protect Thomas Edison, and we have to protect all of these people that came up with originally the light bulb and the wheel and all of these things.”
At that point, Musk had drawn Trump’s praise for SpaceX’s NASA partnerships and Tesla’s stock rally. In May 2020, when California threatened legal action against Musk for reopening Tesla’s factory early during COVID lockdowns, Trump jumped to his defense:
Musk replied simply:
“California should let Tesla & @elonmusk open the plant, NOW. It can be done Fast & Safely!” (Trump, May 12, 2020 — Twitter/X)
Mutual benefit. Shared enemies. Tactical alignment. And for a while, it worked.
Fracture
“Thank you.” (Musk, May 12, 2020 — Twitter/X)
The earliest clear break was principled—not personal. When Trump pulled the U.S. out of the Paris Climate Accord, Musk resigned from Trump’s advisory councils on June 1, 2017:
June 1, 2017 – 2022
Trump didn’t publicly retaliate. Maybe because Musk left quietly, or maybe because he was still useful.
“Am departing presidential councils. Climate change is real. Leaving Paris is not good for America or the world.” (Musk, June 1, 2017 — Twitter/X)
By 2022, though, Musk’s tone sharpened. In July, he tweeted:
In the same thread, he added:
“I don’t hate the man, but it’s time for Trump to hang up his hat & sail into the sunset.”
(Musk, July 11, 2022 — Twitter/X)
That same week, Trump took the bait. At a July 9, 2022 rally in Alaska, Trump fired back:
“Dems should also call off the attack – don’t make it so that Trump’s only way to survive is to regain the Presidency.”
Elon Musk simply replied:
“Elon Musk… he said the other day, ‘Oh, I’ve never voted for a Republican.’ I said, ‘I didn’t know that.’ He told me he voted for me. So he’s another bullshit artist.”
Philosophy
“Not true.”
(Musk, July 11, 2022 — Twitter/X)
Despite the insults, Musk restored Trump’s banned Twitter account in November 2022, saying that free speech shouldn’t depend on popularity. He didn’t support Trump personally, but his position remained constant: principle over preference.
Then came one of the clearest articulations of Musk’s worldview—in a May 2023 CNBC interview, where he quoted The Princess Bride:
May 2023
It wasn’t bravado. It was Musk underscoring that personal gain doesn’t matter if it means compromising what he believes. That line would turn out to be a warning—because the offers did come, and Musk turned them down anyway.
“Offer me money. Offer me power. I don’t care.”
(Musk, May 2023 — CNBC Interview)
Support
After months of back-and-forth skepticism, Musk ultimately threw his weight behind Trump’s 2024 campaign—not out of personal loyalty, but because he opposed Biden’s regulatory agenda and supported some of Trump’s policies.
By mid-2024, Musk donated roughly $300 million to Republican causes, he appeared at Trump rallies wearing a red MAGA hat. And Trump lavished him with praise, calling him a “super genius” and even floated giving him a cabinet-level role.
Their alignment peaked post-election, when Trump won and offered Musk a semi-official role in federal cost-cutting.
And then… it all blew up.
2023 – Early 2025
Break
When Trump introduced his “One Big Beautiful Bill”—a $2.4 trillion omnibus tax/spending package—Musk publicly objected. He called it bloated, reckless, and hypocritical.
May – June 2025
“This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination. Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong. You know it.”
(Musk, June 3, 2025 — X)
And then, the next day:
He even challenged Trump’s fiscal credibility, posting a quote from 2016 where Trump claimed he’d eliminate the national debt in 8 years.
“Not even those in Congress who had to vote on the Big Ugly Spending Bill had time to read it!” (Musk, June 4, 2025 — X)
Trump snapped.
“Where is this guy today?”
(Musk, June 4, 2025 — X)
“Elon was wearing thin… I asked him to leave… He just went CRAZY!”
(Trump, June 5, 2025 — Truth Social)
“The easiest way to save money in our Budget, Billions and Billions of Dollars, is to terminate Elon’s Governmental Subsidies and Contracts.”
(Trump, June 5, 2025 — Truth Social)
A sitting president threatening to strip federal contracts from the country’s primary spaceflight provider because he was criticized. That’s not conservative governance. That’s retaliation. That's unacceptable.
Musk hit back:
“Without me, Trump would have lost the election, Dems would control the House, and the Republicans would be 51-49 in the Senate. Such ingratitude.”
(Musk, June 5, 2025 — X)
Aftermath
As the feud escalated, Musk went further, posting on X:
June 5–6, 2025
Whether it’s true or not remains to be seen. No hard evidence has been provided. But Trump didn’t deny it—he just doubled down on the insults.
“Time to drop the really big bomb: Donald Trump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public. Have a nice day, DJT!”
(Musk, June 5, 2025 -- X)
Musk, meanwhile, signaled openness to de-escalating—responding “yes” to a post suggesting peace.
But by then, the damage was done. Stock prices tumbled, party lines fractured, and the 'bromance' was over.
“Elon’s got a problem. The poor guy’s lost his mind.
(Trump, June 6, 2025 -- Press interview)
Principle
The difference between these two men isn’t in their ambition. It’s in their consistency.
Trump’s relationship with Musk has followed the same cycle as many others before it: praise when useful, insult when challenged. In 2020, he called Musk a genius. In 2022, a “bullshit artist.” In 2024, a “super genius” again. In 2025? “Crazy.” That’s not leadership. That’s impulse.
Musk, by contrast, has remained startlingly consistent: He backed Trump when they agreed and criticized him when they didn’t. He left positions on principle (like the 2017 Paris Accord). Elon Musk reinstated Trump’s account in 2022 out of belief in free speech.
He supported Trump’s campaign financially, then called him out when he felt the bill was wrong—even at massive personal and professional risk.
And that Princess Bride quote, “Offer me money. Offer me power. I don’t care.” ?
He meant it; it wasn't performative or for public praise.
Cut to the present.
Musk had the President’s ear. He was being considered for an official role. But when the “beautiful bill” came packed with pork and danger, he said no. Loudly. Publicly. Repeatedly.
That’s not crazy. That’s called conviction.
In the end, Trump’s loyalty is a mirror—he sees who flatters him and reflects it back. Musk’s loyalty is directional: it's aimed at ideas, not people. If someone drifts from those ideas—yes, even a president—he calls it out. Trump made it personal. Musk kept it political.
And now it’s moral.
There are a lot of reasons to be skeptical of powerful men. You should be. But consistency, especially when it costs you, is rare. And whether you love or loathe Elon Musk, there’s no question whose compass has always stayed pointed in the same direction, regardless of benefits and repercussions.
Donald Trump’s loyalty is to those who support him.
Elon Musk’s loyalty is to principles.
