EXCLUSIVE: The Real Reason Donald Trump and Elon Musk Ended Their 'Bromance' — As Prez Cried Out 'This Is Why I Can't Have Friends'
Donald Trump and Elon Musk had a public breakup of their friendship.
June 25 2026, Published 1:34 p.m. ET
One-time besties Donald Trump and Elon Musk went through a crushing breakup after the two disagreed on one of the president's key pieces of legislation, RadarOnline.com can report.
Trump reportedly took the separation the hardest, going so far as to claim that anyone he has ever been friends with eventually leaves him.
A Relationship Ruined
Musk and Trump were once loyal partners in cutting government spending.
The turning point between the two billionaires was apparently Musk's disapproval and critique of Trump's prized Big Beautiful Bill — his debt-cutting legislation.
At the time, Musk wrote on social media: "I'm sorry, but I just can’t stand it anymore. This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination. Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong. You know it."
In their new book, Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump, New York Times reporters Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan write, "Musk left out the fact that privately he had been complaining that the bill would harm his electric car company, Tesla."
Musk's comments seemed to sting Trump especially hard. According to the book, "When the President saw Musk’s post, he looked at it for several beats, an expression close to pensive crossing his face. 'They always leave me,' he finally said. 'They always do this. This is why I can’t have friends.'
Musk 'Ghosted' Trump
Musk publicly took issue with Trump's Big Beautiful Bill.
Trump reportedly tried to call Musk about his scathing comments, but the phone "went straight to voicemail," the authors revealed.
"He tried again, and again straight to voicemail," the excerpt continued. "Looking a bit distraught, Trump said, 'He never doesn't take my calls.'"
However, in public, Trump expressed his frustrations the way he does best, by lashing out against Musk, suggesting the businessman should be stripped of his multibillion-dollar government contracts.
"The easiest way to save money in our Budget, Billions and Billions of Dollars, is to terminate Elon's Governmental Subsidies and Contracts," Trump said on Truth Social.
The Push for Peace Between the Pair
Their relationship soured after Musk shared his thoughts on a Trump-backed bill.
Following Musk's comments, Trump acknowledged their big, not-so-beautiful, breakup.
"Elon and I had a great relationship," Trump said during a meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, before pausing and adding, "I don't know if we will anymore."
The two titans have since tried to bury their hatchet, sharing a high-profile dinner at Trump's Florida Mar-a-Lago resort earlier this year.
The pair were pictured greeting other guests with smiles and engaging in what appeared to be easygoing conversation as they moved toward their table.
Melania Wanted to Keep Musk Away
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Melania Trump has also had issues with Musk, according to Haberman and Swan's book.
But Donald's not the only Trump to beef with Musk. First Lady Melania previously fought to keep the Tesla founder out of the White House, despite her normal green light to guests.
As they revealed in their book, Melania "did not want" Musk to sleep over, but was ultimately overruled by Donald, and Musk spent several nights in the Lincoln Bedroom.
"Other nights he stayed with friends," the authors noted of Musk in one passage. "Though he also told associates he had taken to using a sleeping bag on the floor of his office in the Eisenhower Building."
