Rising tensions between the Tesla CEO and the US President crackle into full view as 2026 race shadows their public feud
Elon Musk just lobbed a curveball straight back at President Donald Trump. And he did it in a way only Musk can—deadpan, dry, and designed to sting.
After Trump blasted Musk on Truth Social, accusing him of going “completely off the rails” and mocking his new third-party efforts, the Tesla boss hit back with a sarcastic shrug: “What’s Truth Social? Never heard of it.” A five-word jab that packed more punch than most press conferences.
A feud that’s been simmering for years
The tension between Musk and Trump didn’t start this week.
Things have been off and on since 2016, when Musk cautiously joined Trump’s advisory council—only to quit months later over the U.S. withdrawal from the Paris climate deal. Since then, their public interactions have mostly been transactional. Musk would occasionally praise Trump’s economic policies, while Trump would take credit for Tesla’s stock rise. But this new flare-up? It’s different.
This time, it’s personal—and political.
In the past five weeks, Musk has been testing the waters of U.S. electoral politics by backing, and then apparently forming, a new political platform he’s calling the American Party. Not a think tank. Not a PAC. An actual party.
That alone was enough to raise eyebrows in Washington. But for Trump, it seems to have crossed a red line.
Trump goes off in all caps
Trump’s attack was classic Trump—long-winded, combative, and full of uppercase letters.
In his Truth Social post, the president said Musk “has become a TRAIN WRECK,” and scoffed at his efforts to create a third political party. He pointed out, not incorrectly, that third parties have historically flopped in U.S. politics.
But he didn’t stop there.
Trump called third parties “vehicles for chaos,” accused the so-called “Radical Left” of pushing Musk off course, and made it clear he sees Musk’s political maneuvering as a threat. He even hinted that Musk’s recent media appearances felt “scripted by CNN.”
The implication? Musk is veering left. And Trump doesn’t like it.
Musk’s reply wasn’t loud, but it hit hard
Musk didn’t write a thread. He didn’t post a manifesto. He didn’t even mention Trump’s name.
He just dropped a short, icy tweet on X (formerly Twitter):
“What’s Truth Social? Never heard of it.”
Five words, zero punctuation, millions of impressions. It was vintage Musk—tech bro trolling dressed up as aloof genius. And it worked. Within minutes, the phrase trended on X. Memes exploded. Trump allies fumed.
Some saw it as dismissive. Others as defiant. Either way, it was a digital slap.
Why this feud matters
It’s not just two billionaires butting heads. This has ripples—especially with the 2026 midterms already looming large.
For starters, Musk is inching into politics at a speed few expected. His “American Party,” while still embryonic, has already attracted disaffected libertarians, disgruntled centrists, and a few high-profile crypto influencers.
Trump, meanwhile, is facing cracks within the GOP’s hard-right base. With figures like Musk soaking up attention—and maybe funding—Trump’s hold on the populist right looks shakier.
Here’s how both camps currently stack up in terms of reach:
| Figure | Platform Reach (Est.) | Political Affiliation | Main Public Channel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Donald Trump | ~90 million (legacy + Truth Social) | Republican | Truth Social |
| Elon Musk | ~180 million (mostly X followers) | Independent / American Party | X (formerly Twitter) |
And while Trump still commands a loyal base, Musk’s audience is younger, tech-savvy, and less ideologically rigid.
Political insiders are watching this closely
Off the record, both Republican and Democratic operatives say they’re “monitoring” Musk’s moves. One DNC strategist, speaking anonymously, said: “If Musk runs a single candidate in a swing district, it could flip the whole balance.”
The GOP is even more rattled.
Behind closed doors, some senior figures have reportedly urged Trump to stop poking Musk. Their concern? Alienating Musk’s fanbase could mean losing independents who’ve drifted from Biden but aren’t sold on MAGA.
A former RNC staffer put it bluntly: “Trump used to be the disruptor. Now he’s being disrupted.”
What’s Musk really up to?
That’s the million-dollar question. Or maybe, billion.
Some believe he’s just trolling, using political theater to pump his own relevance. Others think he’s genuinely testing a soft launch of a new third force in American politics—a kind of anti-establishment, pro-tech populism.
A former Tesla insider said Musk is “way more obsessed with influence than policy.” Another added: “He wants to shape the narrative, not necessarily govern.”
Still, Musk has been meeting with figures like Tulsi Gabbard and Andrew Yang in private. He’s also quietly poured cash into voter registration startups and political data firms.
So maybe he’s not playing. Maybe this time, he’s all in.
The fight isn’t over. It’s just getting warmed up.
What makes this feud unique is how public it is—and how much both men seem to enjoy it.
Trump feeds on conflict. Musk thrives on being underestimated. It’s a political soap opera written for the algorithm age.
And with Musk’s American Party teasing candidates for 2026 and Trump focused on locking down GOP loyalty, neither man is backing down.
For now, though, Trump has Truth Social. Musk has X. And the rest of us? We have front-row seats to the most bizarre political bromance-turned-rivalry of the decade.
