'Shut shop and head back to South Africa': Trump's stern warning to Musk

The raging public feud between US President Donald Trump and tech tycoon Elon Musk over the former’s “Big, Beautiful Bill” escalated on Tuesday (July 1) as Trump said that without subsidies, Musk would probably have to close up shop and head back home to South Africa.

Also read | Musk slams Trump's ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’, warns to launch new political party

Virtually issuing a deportation warning, Trump took to Truth Social to hit out at his former advisor, saying, “Elon Musk knew, long before he so strongly endorsed me for President, that I was strongly against the EV 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. 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," Trump wrote on Truth Social.

"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!!!" he added further.

Musk steps up attack

Musk, once a close ally of Donald Trump, has been at loggerheads with the President for the past month over the proposed $4 trillion spending and tax bill. On Monday, he stepped up his criticism, vowing to launch a new “America Party” if the Senate approves the legislation.

The world's richest man has claimed the bill would add more than $3 trillion to the national debt, leading to bankruptcy.

Also read | Trump-Musk bromance, a rollercoaster of endorsements and policy shifts

Calling it a “debt slavery bill”, Musk tweeted, “It is obvious with the insane spending of this bill, which increases the debt ceiling by a record FIVE TRILLION DOLLARS that we live in a one-party country – the PORKY PIG PARTY!! Time for a new political party that actually cares about the people.”