The President of the United States, Donald Trump, stated that his former ally Elon Musk is “angry” about the removal of federal incentives for electric cars, and warned him that he “could lose a lot more” if the current energy policy continues. Trump went further and hinted that the South African magnate could even be expelled from the country.
“Elon is furious because the subsidies that benefited his businesses have run out. But if he doesn’t fall in line, he could lose much more, even his status in the United States,” Trump declared during a rally in Michigan, one of the key states for the automotive industry.
The former president made these statements just days after his administration eliminated a set of tax incentives that favored the purchase of electric vehicles, a measure that has generated strong criticism from the technology sector. Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has been one of the main beneficiaries of those policies in the past.
Trump also questioned Musk’s role in strategic sectors such as defense and aerospace transportation, insinuating that the entrepreneur should “remember who allowed him to thrive in this country.”
Although Musk did not respond immediately to the statements, in recent weeks he has expressed his frustration with the increasing regulation and the loss of tax benefits directly affecting Tesla.
The tension marks a break in a relationship that was once functional: Musk had been consulted by Trump on technological and economic matters during his first term. Now, the distancing could have consequences both for the billionaire’s business and for the direction of US industrial policy.