Topics: Elon Musk, Politics, US News, Donald Trump, Social Media
Elon Musk has shared his incredibly divisive response to United States president Donald Trump's recent deportation 'threat'.
In the latest update in the feud between the two men - which seemingly reignited following Musk's criticism of the president's 'big, beautiful bill' - Trump has said he will 'have to take a look' at possibly deporting Musk, a threat which he similarly made against New York State Representative, Zohran Mamdani.
Speaking at the White House on Tuesday (1 July) on his way to visit a migrant detention facility in Florida controversially dubbed 'Alligator Alcatraz', a reporter asked the 79-year-old Republican: "Are you going to deport Elon Musk?"
"We'll have to take a look," he replied.
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Trump then added that the administration might turn the Department of Government Efficiency, the agency once run by Musk, on his ex-friend.
Trump also signalled that he could take aim at the huge contracts and subsidies that Musk's SpaceX rocket and Starlink satellite internet businesses receive from the US government.
"We might have to put DOGE on Elon. You know what DOGE is? The monster that might have to go back and eat Elon," he said.
"Wouldn’t that be terrible? He gets a lot of subsidies."
It didn't take long for Musk to issue his response to the clip, commenting under the video: "So tempting to escalate this. So, so tempting. But I will refrain for now."
Musk's counter-response has since sparked a very divisive reaction from people online with some praising the 53-year-old Tesla boss for 'refraining' while others encouraged him to go ahead and 'escalate' things to see what would happen.
"Good, not worth it. Don't take the bait," praised one X user.
A second penned: "Good. Don’t escalate. Trump looks terrible now."
"This must be escalated - we need it," countered another and a final X user chirped: "Do it bro!"
Taking to Truth Social yesterday (1 July) to share his response to Musk's series of social media posts calling out his 'big, beautiful bill' Trump scrawled: "Elon Musk knew, long before he so strongly Endorsed me for President, that I was strongly against the EV (electric vehicle) Mandate.
"It is ridiculous, and was always a major part of my campaign. Electric cars are fine, but not everyone should be forced to own one."
He continued: "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 home to South Africa.
"No more Rocket launches, Satellites, or Electric Car Production, and our Country would save a FORTUNE. Perhaps we should have DOGE take a good, hard, look at this?
"BIG MONEY TO BE SAVED!!!" Trump concluded.
