Tesla shares plummeted 9% Thursday as the public feud between CEO Elon Musk and President Donald Trump reached a dangerous new level, with the commander-in-chief threatening to terminate billions of dollars in government contracts and subsidies across Musk's business empire. The dramatic selloff came after Trump declared from the Oval Office that he was "very disappointed" in Musk and suggested their once-close relationship might be permanently damaged, sending shockwaves through Wall Street as investors realized the world's richest man's companies could face unprecedented government retaliation.
The Billion-Dollar Threat That Sparked Market Panic
The catalyst for Thursday's market rout was Trump's explosive Truth Social post threatening to cut off Musk's government lifeline, writing "The easiest way to save money in our Budget, Billions and Billions of Dollars, is to terminate Elon's Governmental Subsidies and Contracts." This threat carries enormous financial implications, as SpaceX alone holds a $4.46 billion NASA contract for human landing systems, while serving as a critical contractor for the Defense Department's satellite and launch services. The president's warning represents a stunning reversal for Musk, who had been considered Trump's closest business ally and led the Department of Government Efficiency until recently stepping back from his White House role.
From "First Buddy" to Public Enemy: How the Alliance Crumbled
The relationship between Trump and Musk began deteriorating when the Tesla CEO stepped up his criticism of the Republican tax-and-spending bill, calling it a "disgusting abomination" and urging Congress to "kill the bill." Musk argued the legislation "more than defeats all the cost savings achieved by the DOGE team at great personal cost and risk," referring to his work leading Trump's budget-cutting initiative. The public disagreement escalated when Trump responded from the Oval Office, telling reporters "Elon and I had a great relationship. I don't know if we will anymore," before suggesting Musk was primarily upset about the elimination of electric vehicle tax credits.
"Elon and I had a great relationship. I don't know if we will anymore." - President Donald Trump
Musk's response was characteristically blunt, posting simply "Whatever" on his X social media platform before launching into a barrage of posts criticizing the president and the spending bill.
Tesla's Mounting Financial Risks Beyond the Political Drama
Beyond the immediate political fallout, Tesla faces significant financial headwinds that make the loss of government support particularly problematic. The House version of the budget bill proposes ending the popular $7,500 electric vehicle subsidy by the end of 2025, which could cost Tesla $1.2 billion in annual profit, while separate Senate legislation targeting California's EV sales mandates could result in an additional $2 billion hit to regulatory credit sales. These potential losses come as Tesla struggles with declining sales in key European markets and faces growing consumer backlash related to Musk's controversial political activities. Tesla shares have already fallen 12% since May 27, roughly coinciding with Musk's decision to step back from Washington activities, as investors grow concerned about the impact of his political involvement on the company's business prospects.