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Trump 'disappointed' with Elon Musk's attacks on budget bill | Trump 'disappointed' with Elon Musk's attacks on budget bill |
(32 minutes later) | |
Trump: "I'm very disappointed in Elon" | |
US President Donald Trump says he was "very surprised" and "disappointed" with former ally Elon Musk's criticisms of his centrepiece budget bill. | |
"Elon and I had a great relationship. I don't know if we will anymore," Trump told reporters in the White House on Thursday. | "Elon and I had a great relationship. I don't know if we will anymore," Trump told reporters in the White House on Thursday. |
It was the president's most direct criticism yet of Musk's lobbying efforts against the proposals to cut taxes and slash government spending - a plan that has drawn criticism from Musk and some Republicans. | It was the president's most direct criticism yet of Musk's lobbying efforts against the proposals to cut taxes and slash government spending - a plan that has drawn criticism from Musk and some Republicans. |
In response, Musk doubled down on X and accused the president of "Such ingratitude", adding: "Without me, Trump would have lost the election". | |
Musk left his post at the Department of Government Efficiency last week after 129 days on the job, and Trump presented him with a with a golden key during a congratulatory news conference on 30 May. | |
But in the days since, he has repeatedly criticised Trump's budget bill currently working its way through Congress, calling it a "disgusting abomination" and posting "Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong." | |
The bill passed the House with the backing of most Republicans, with a handful of representatives from Trump's party and all Democrats opposed. | |
Speaking to reporters during a news conference with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Thursday, Trump said: "We are doing things in that bill that are unbelievable. | |
"I'm very disappointed because Elon knew the inner workings of this bill better than almost anybody sitting here," he said. "All of a sudden he had a problem." | |
"He hasn't said bad about my personally, but I'm sure that will be next." | |
Put in charge of radically slashing government spending, Musk initiated mass sackings and wholesale elimination of departments such as the US Agency for International Development (USAID). | |
Doge claims to have saved $180bn, although that number has been disputed, and is well short of Musk's initial aim to cut spending by up to $2 trillion. |