Trump threatens to deport Elon Musk amid spending bill feud
President Donald Trump has escalated his public feud with Elon Musk, suggesting the country’s immigration enforcement system could be turned against the Tesla and Space X chief.
This was triggered by Musk’s renewed attacks on the Republican-backed tax and spending ‘one big beautiful bill’ currently under Senate debate.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday while heading to an immigration detention facility in Florida, Trump was asked if Musk – a naturalised US citizen originally from South Africa – could face deportation in retaliation for opposing the bill.
“I don’t know”, Trump replied. “We’ll just have to take a look”.
He added: “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”.
The DOGE reference relates to the Department of Government Efficiency, a quasi-government agency Musk led during the early months of Trump’s second term, overseeing billions in federal budget cuts before departing in May after his requests to remain in the unpaid role were denied.
Since leaving the White House, Musk has become a vocal critic of the massive spending package, amplifying opposition on his social media platform X and threatening to back electoral challenges against lawmakers who support the bill, citing concerns over ballooning national debt.
Trump ‘subsidising’ Musk
Trump claims Musk’s opposition is driven by losing electric vehicle (EV) subsidies in the legislation.
“Electric cars are fine, but not everyone should be forced to own one”, Trump posted on Truth Social. “Elon may get more subsidy than any other human being in history, by far, and without subsidies, Elon would probably have to close up shop and head back home to South Africa”.
The tension marks a sharp rupture in a relationship that once saw Musk as an unpaid government advisor and a supporter of Trump’s immigration crackdown.
Yet questions about Musk’s own immigration status have surfaced: a Washington Post investigation revealed Musk worked illegally in the US in the 1990s after arriving on a student visa but not attending classes, putting his early career on shaky legal ground.
In June, Musk briefly signalled a possible pull back, expressing regret over harsh posts about Trump.
But the latest spat underscores deep divisions as Trump pushes a controversial spending bill while Musk positions himself as a thorn in the Republican side.