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Donald Trump says he will 'take a look' at deporting Elon Musk as feud reignites

President Donald Trump speaks to reporters on the South Lawn on July 1
President Donald Trump hasn't ruled ouy . Picture: Getty

By Ella Bennett

Donald Trump has threatened to "take a look" at deporting Elon Musk, as the spat over Trump's budget plans escalates.

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Speaking to reporters on Tuesday morning, the US President suggested that DOGE, the cost-cutting agency Mr Musk helped launch, could be used to hurt the billionaire's companies.

He said: "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. Wouldn’t that be terrible? He gets a lot of subsidies."

The President added: "Elons very upset that the EV mandate is going to be terminated.. not everybody wants an electric car. I don't want an electric car."

Mr Musk responded to the comments on X, and said: "So tempting to escalate this. So, so tempting. But I will refrain for now."

Mr Trump reiterated the point on social media, writing on his platform Truth Social: “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 to South Africa.”

Read more: Elon Musk threatens to launch new party if Trump's 'big beautiful bill' passes in fresh presidential attack

Read more: Elon Musk shares details of drugs test after bombshell report claims he took 'cocktail of substances' as head of DOGE

The tech billionaire, who was a big supporter of Trump during the election campaign, has repeatedly criticised the so-called "big, beautiful bill", suggesting that it undermines the work he did to cut spending.

The astonishing fallout between the two men erupted when Mr Musk called the signature legislation, a tax and spending bill that could drive up the national debt, a “disgusting abomination,” urging senators to “kill” it.

Lashing out at his former friend, Mr Trump said: “I'm very disappointed, because Elon knew the inner workings of this bill better than almost anybody... He had no problem with it.”

As the row escalated last month, Mr Musk fired a series of insults at the President, claiming that he was in the US government's files on Jeffrey Epstein and declaring that he would have lost last year's presidential election without his support.

Mr Trump said Mr Musk was "wearing thin" and that the president had to ask him to leave the White House.