NAIROBI, Kenya – U.S. President Donald Trump has launched a blistering attack on federal electric vehicle (EV) policies and billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, suggesting he may revoke government subsidies and contracts benefiting Musk’s companies if he returns to the White House.
In a late-night Truth Social post on Sunday, June 30, Trump doubled down on his long-standing opposition to EV mandates, describing them as “ridiculous” and warning against what he called a forced transition to electric vehicles.
“Electric cars are fine, but not everyone should be forced to own one,” Trump wrote, positioning himself against current federal climate policies.
The president also took aim directly at Musk, calling him “perhaps the biggest recipient of government subsidies in history.”
“Elon may get more subsidy than any human being in history, by far. Without subsidies, Elon would probably have to close up shop and head back home to South Africa,” Trump claimed.
The scathing remarks mark a sharp turn in what has been a rollercoaster relationship between the two influential figures.
Musk had recently expressed openness to supporting Trump’s 2024 presidential bid, making the criticism all the more striking.
Targeting Tesla, SpaceX—and Subsidies
Trump didn’t limit his attacks to Tesla, which has benefited from billions in clean energy tax incentives and subsidies.
He also targeted Musk’s broader portfolio, including rocket launches by SpaceX and satellite deployments under the Starlink program.
“No more Rocket launches, Satellites, or Electric Car Production, and our Country would save a FORTUNE,” Trump added, hinting that Musk’s companies could lose federal contracts and tax breaks under his administration.
The president ended the statement with a cryptic line:
“Perhaps we should have DOGE take a good, hard, look at this? BIG MONEY TO BE SAVED!!!”
It remains unclear whether he was referencing Dogecoin (a cryptocurrency Musk famously supports), a watchdog body, or an unnamed ally.
Tesla has historically relied on a $7,500 federal EV tax credit to boost sales—though recent adjustments to eligibility rules have drawn sharp criticism from Musk, who labeled the changes “incredibly destructive.”
The timing of Trump’s outburst also coincides with expectations that Tesla will report another decline in quarterly vehicle deliveries this week, amid global economic headwinds and increased competition.
While Trump and Musk have found occasional common ground—especially on free speech issues and opposition to certain pandemic-era policies—Trump’s comments suggest that any alliance may be transactional at best.
