Musk deletes Trump ‘Epstein’ post amid threat

Tech billionaire Elon Musk has taken down a controversial post about Donald Trump, as his feud with the US President escalates.

US President Donald Trump warned that his former ally Elon Musk will face “very serious consequences” if he starts bankrolling Democratic candidates for office, while adding that it’s “a shame that he’s so depressed and so heartbroken.”

It came as tech billionaire Mr Musk took down his tweet claiming Mr Trump was implicated in the still-unreleased “(Jeffrey) Epstein files” in a first sign of de-escalation since the titanic blow-up between the powerful men last week.

When asked in a phone interview about Mr Musk possibly funding Democrats, Mr Trump told NBC News there would be “consequences”.

US President Donald Trump and Elon Musk in the Oval Office before their feud. Picture: AFP

“If he does, he’ll have to pay the consequences for that,” Mr Trump told NBC News.

“He’ll have to pay very serious consequences if he does that,” the President added, without specifying.

Mr Trump said he was “very confident” that the bill would get passed by July 4.

“The bill is great. It looks like we’re going to get it passed. Looks strongly like we’re going to get it passed,” he said.

Mr Musk knocked Mr Trump during a multi-day X tirade over the debt increases contained in the “big beautiful bill” last week and said without his hundreds of millions of dollars in contributions, the President would never have been re-elected in 2024.

In his since-deleted post on X, Mr Musk dragged the US President into the Jeffrey Epstein scandal.

“Time to drop the really big bomb,” Mr Musk, 53, posted last week on X to his more than 220 million followers.

“@realDonaldTrump is in the Epstein files.That is the real reason they have not been made public,” he alleged. “Have a nice day, DJT!”

TRUMP WANTS TO DITCH TESLA, ISN’T CALLING MUSK

Donald Trump has no plans to pick up the phone and reconcile with former “first buddy” Elon Musk after their explosive public falling out.

The President referred to Mr Musk as “the man who has lost his mind” when asked about the feud, telling reporters he was “not particularly” interested in speaking to the Tesla boss in the wake of their dramatic split.

Reports surfaced that Mr Trump was also considering selling or giving away the Tesla he purchased weeks ago in a show of support for the embattled businessman whose electric vehicle company suffered during his time as a special government employee.

US President Donald Trump reportedly wants to get rid of the Tesla he bought in a show of support for Musk. Picture: AFP

In a phone call with the New York Post, Mr Trump said “Nothing catches me by surprise, nothing,” when asked about the falling out.

He then changes the subject: “The numbers are through the roof, the stock market is up, billions are pouring in from tariffs, and my poll numbers are the highest they’ve ever been. Other than that, what can I tell you, right?”

“The bill is great. It’s going to pass, but the bill is great, and it’s going be great for everybody, including him (Mr Musk). And you see it now. And take a look at what happened today with the job numbers. They’re through the roof, and the stock market’s up already 600 points.

“This is what I do for a living, okay?”

It comes as Mr Musk supported calls for the pair to make peace and indicated he could backtrack on retaliatory plans to decommission SpaceX rockets.Mr Trump on Friday night said there had been efforts by others to bring the two back together but he was “not really interested in that” and he had no plans to talk to Mr Musk.

“I’m really interested in the country solving problems, including problems in very faraway lands,” he said.

In happier times, Donald Trump, musician Kid Rock and Elon Musk attended the UFC at Madison Square Garden in New York. Picture: AFP

Mr Trump said he would not ask Mr Musk to return the key to the White House he awarded him a week ago, telling reporters “no I don’t take things back”.

Asked about his current feelings toward his former “first buddy”, Mr Trump said he had been busy working on international issues including China, Russia and Iran.

“I’m not thinking about Elon Musk,” he said.

“I just wish him well.

“I hope he does well with Tesla.”

Asked how serious he was about cutting government contracts with Mr Musk, the president said “we’ll take a look at everything … “only if it’s to be fair for him and the country”.

In response to a post from billionaire financier Bill Ackman that urged the two men to “make peace for the benefit of our country” and stating “we are much stronger together than apart”, Mr Musk agreed, saying: “You’re not wrong”.

The billionaire X owner also responded to a comment from someone pleading with the men to “cool off and take a step back”, writing: “Good advice. Ok, we won’t decommission Dragon,” referring to his SpaceX spacecraft.

The President started his Friday spruiking his record since returning to office, writing on social media: “Prices are down, income is up, our border is closed, gasoline is cheap, inflation is dead – our country is booming! Companies are pouring into America like never before!”

Won’t someone think of the children? Mr Musk’s son X was a White House regular. Picture: AFP

In another post he said: “Great job numbers, stock market up big! At the same time, billions pouring in from tariffs.”

The simmering feud between America’s most powerful exploded into an all-out war last week after Mr Musk spent days criticising Mr Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill.

The chaos unfolded into a public slanging match in which the President threatened to pull tens of billions in government contracts for Mr Musk’s companies.

On Friday before departing Washington DC, ironically to attend a UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) match in New Jersey, Mr Trump inspected the site of a new ballroom being built at the White House.

“For 150 years, Presidents, and many others, have wanted a beautiful ballroom, but it never got built because nobody previously had any knowledge or experience in doing such things – but I do, like maybe nobody else, and it will go up quickly, and be a wonderful addition, very much in keeping with the magnificent White House itself,” he wrote on Truth Social.

“These are the ’fun’ projects I do while thinking about the world economy, the United States, China, Russia, and lots of other countries, places, and events.

“It will all be good, maybe even great, depending on who is the president of the USA!.”

Parts of this article orginally appeared on the New York Post

Originally published as Musk deletes Trump ‘Epstein’ post amid threat