Tech billionaire Elon Musk has intensified his public fallout with Donald Trump, making controversial claims and turning his fire on top Republican lawmakers.
In a recent post on X, Musk suggested—without presenting evidence—that Trump may appear in unreleased government files linked to Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced financier and convicted sex offender.
The insinuation comes despite court documents released last year naming several public figures in connection to Epstein, including Trump.
Crucially, no allegations were made against the former president, and being named carried no implication of criminal conduct.
While campaigning for a second term, Trump pledged to release more Epstein-related records. In February, Attorney General Pam Bondi made public another tranche of files, which yielded no significant new revelations.
Epstein, who died by suicide in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial for sex trafficking, had known Trump socially in Palm Beach. Trump has said their relationship soured long ago.
Musk’s criticism has now expanded to include House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune.
In a pointed jab, Musk unearthed a March 2023 post by Johnson criticizing federal overspending under President Biden, asking, “Where is the Mike Johnson of 2023!?”—a clear swipe at Johnson’s current support for Trump’s high-spending budget.
Musk also took aim at Thune, reposting a 2011 opinion piece titled “Balanced-budget amendment or bust” to highlight the senator’s apparent fiscal U-turn.
The Musk-Trump rift, initially sparked by disagreements over government contracts and policy positions, now appears to be widening into a broader ideological clash with the GOP’s leadership—one that could reshape the party’s future ahead of the 2026 midterms.
