On June 7, 2025, Vice President JD Vance labelled Elon Musk’s public attacks on President Donald Trump a “huge mistake” during an interview with comedian Theo Von. The feud between Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, and Trump, once close allies, has escalated over Trump’s tax and spending bill, drawing global attention.
The conflict intensified when Musk criticised Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” on X, calling it a “disgusting abomination” that would balloon the federal deficit. The Congressional Budget Office estimates the bill could add $2.4 trillion to the debt and leave 10.9 million uninsured. Musk’s posts escalated, suggesting Trump’s impeachment and alleging, without evidence, ties to Jeffrey Epstein.
Trump retaliated, calling Musk “crazy” and threatening to cancel federal contracts with Musk’s companies, including SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft, which is critical for NASA missions. Musk briefly threatened to decommission the spacecraft but later backtracked.
Vance, speaking on Von’s podcast, expressed loyalty to Trump. “It’s a huge mistake for the world’s wealthiest man to be at war with the world’s most powerful,” he said, warning that the feud could harm the country and Musk. “I hope Elon comes back into the fold, but he’s gone so nuclear.”
Vice President JD Vance goes on Theo Von’s podcast and responds to Elon Musk’s posts about President Trump:
“First of all, absolutely not. Donald Trump didn't do anything wrong with Jeffrey Epstein. That's totally bs.”
“I'm always going to be loyal to the president. And I hope… pic.twitter.com/5nJGETddT5
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) June 7, 2025Vance Defends Trump, Praises Musk
Addressing Musk’s Epstein claims, Vance firmly stated, “Absolutely not. Donald Trump didn’t do anything wrong with Jeffrey Epstein.” He dismissed Musk’s impeachment calls as “totally insane” and unhelpful, emphasising Trump’s leadership.
Despite the tension, Vance praised Musk as an “incredible entrepreneur” and lauded his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) for cutting costs, though it led to thousands of job losses. He defended the bill’s goal of extending Trump’s 2017 tax cuts, admitting, “It’s a good bill, not a perfect one.”
#FPWorld: Vice President JD Vance called Elon Musk's attacks on Donald Trump a “huge mistake” after their public fallout but downplayed the feud, saying Musk is an “emotional guy” who acted out of frustration. https://t.co/CTsYzpVo03
— Firstpost (@firstpost) June 7, 2025Vance acknowledged Musk’s frustration, calling him an “emotional guy” who “flew off the handle.” He added, “I’ve done worse myself,” suggesting reconciliation is possible if Musk “chills out.”
The feud, which began over policy disagreements, has turned personal, with Trump claiming Musk “would have lost the election” without him. Billionaire Bill Ackman urged peace, and Musk signalled openness to dialogue.
Read: FBI Director Kash Patel Sidesteps Musk’s Claim on Trump in Epstein Files
This high-stakes conflict highlights tensions within Trump’s administration as it navigates ambitious reforms.
