In another dramatic escalation between allies-turned-foes, President Donald Trump on Tuesday hinted that Tesla CEO Elon Musk could face immigration scrutiny following his public criticism of the administration’s flagship legislation, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
Speaking to reporters before boarding Marine One for a trip to an immigration detention facility in Florida, Trump was asked whether Musk, originally from South Africa; but a naturalised US citizen, could be deported as retaliation for his opposition to the controversial tax and spending bill. Trump replied, “I don’t know. We’ll have to take a look.”
The president further suggested that his administration may deploy the Department of Government Efficiency — a short-lived quasi-agency once led by Musk — to investigate the tech magnate. “We might have to put DOGE on Elon…The monster that might have to go back and eat Elon. Wouldn’t that be terrible? He gets a lot of subsidies,” Trump told reporters.
The DOGE, initially tasked with streamlining federal costs, became known for its aggressive and chaotic operations before being quietly disbanded.
Musk responds but exercises restrain
And as expected, Musk responded to Trump on X saying, “So tempting to escalate this. So, so tempting. But I will refrain for now.”
Musk had served briefly as an unpaid special government employee during the early months of Trump’s second term, championing cost-cutting reforms. However, since departing the role, he has emerged as a fierce critic of Trump’s spending priorities, particularly the latest GOP-backed megabill.
He has taken to X to amplify opposition voices, warning of the bill’s impact on the national debt and threatening to back primary challenges against Republican lawmakers who support it. Critics argue the bill sidesteps standard bipartisan budget procedures to fast-track right-wing policy goals, including Trump’s anti-immigration agenda.
Trump, in turn, has accused Musk of acting out of self-interest, claiming the Tesla CEO is upset over proposed cuts to electric vehicle tax incentives that directly impact Tesla’s bottom line.