By AFP
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump once again targeted former aide Elon Musk on Tuesday, attacking the amount of government subsidies the entrepreneur is receiving, after the tech billionaire renewed criticism of the president鈥檚 flagship spending bill.
鈥淓lon may get more subsidy than any human being in history, by far,鈥 Trump said on social media.
鈥淎nd without subsidies, Elon would probably have to close up shop and head back home to South Africa.鈥
Musk 鈥 who had an acrimonious public falling out with the president this month over the bill 鈥 reprised his sharp criticisms and renewed his calls for the formation of a new political party as voting got underway.
Trump responded by suggesting his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)鈥 which Musk headed before stepping down late May 鈥 train its sights on the SpaceX founder鈥檚 business interests.
鈥淣o more Rocket launches, Satellites, or Electric Car Production, and our Country would save a FORTUNE,鈥 the president said. 鈥淧erhaps we should have DOGE take a good, hard, look at this? BIG MONEY TO BE SAVED!!!鈥
Trump and Musk alliance melts down in blazing public row
Trump is hoping to seal his legacy with the 鈥淥ne Big Beautiful Bill,鈥 which would extend his expiring first-term tax cuts at a cost of $4.5 trillion and beef up border security.
But Republicans eyeing 2026 midterm congressional elections are divided over the package, which would strip health care from millions of the poorest Americans and add more than $3 trillion to the country鈥檚 debt.
As lawmakers began voting on the bill on Monday, Musk 鈥 the world鈥檚 richest person 鈥 accused Republicans of supporting 鈥渄ebt slavery鈥.
鈥淎ll I鈥檓 asking is that we don鈥檛 bankrupt America,鈥 he said on social media Tuesday. 鈥淲hat鈥檚 the point of a debt ceiling if we keep raising it?鈥
Musk has vowed to launch a new political party to challenge lawmakers who campaigned on reduced federal spending only to vote for the bill.
鈥淰OX POPULI VOX DEI 80% voted for a new party,鈥 he said.