Trump Musk Tesl
AxiosJUL 1
Tesla Stock Plunges as Trump-Musk Feud Escalates Over Subsidies
Above: A Tesla logo is displayed on a smartphone with the image of Elon Musk in the background. Image copyright: Dominika Zarzycka/SOPA Images/LightRocket/Getty Images
The Spin
Republican narrative
Elon Musk's overreach with DOGE and his feud with the Big Beautiful Bill show he's bitten off more than he can chew. His attacks on Trump's agenda alienate the left, who already distrust him, while his erratic behavior risks Tesla and SpaceX’s stability, spooking investors. He could very well lose his business prowess if he continues to harm the Trump administration on the national stage.
Conservative narrative
Trump's push for this bill shows he's become an establishment Republican, prioritizing optics over his voters' demand for reform. His obsession with a July 4th signing overshadows the bill's flaws, betraying not only his base but every working American. Ironically, he threatens to deport Musk while planning amnesty for illegal immigrants who took American jobs in key industries.
Democratic narrative
Musk and Trump's feud exposes their shared disdain for empathy, eroding civic trust. Trump's optics-driven governance and Musk's DOGE have together gutted vital programs like Medicaid, favoring tax cuts for the rich. Trump's mass detentions of immigrants, ignoring humane conditions, mirrors Musk's callous ideology. Their selfish pursuit of power betrays America's core identity of shared compassion.