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Donald Trump suggested deporting Elon Musk as he criticized him over government funding, calling for a review of subsidies.

US President Donald Trump added fuel to his escalating feud with Elon Musk, saying he would “take a look" at whether the Tesla and SpaceX CEO, who was born in South Africa, could be deported. The remark followed Elon Musk’s blistering criticism of the Donald Trump administration’s tax-cut and spending bill, which he called “utterly insane and destructive." Doubling down, Donald Trump also warned that Elon Musk could “lose a lot more" than the EV mandate.

Elon Musk fired back in a cryptic post on X (formerly Twitter) saying, “So tempting to escalate this. So, so tempting. But I will refrain for now."

Donald Trump Asks DOGE To Review Elon Musk’s Subsidies

Donald Trump urged Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)- which was earlier spearheaded by Elon Musk- to take a “good, hard look" at the federal subsidies received by the billionaire’s companies in order to save taxpayer money.

The US President posted on his social media platform Truth Social, “Elon may get more subsidy than any human being in history, by far … No more rocket launches, satellites, or electric car production and our country would save a FORTUNE. Perhaps we should have DOGE take a good, hard look at this? BIG MONEY TO BE SAVED!!!"

After weeks of silence, Elon Musk reignited his feud with Donald Trump as the US Senate began debating the administration’s tax-and-spending bill. In a series of posts on X, Elon Musk blasted lawmakers who had campaigned on fiscal restraint but supported the bill.

“They should hang their heads in shame," he wrote, vowing, “they will lose their primary next year if it’s the last thing I do on this Earth." Elon Musk also revived his call for a new political movement, mocking both major parties- Republican and Democrat- as part of a “one-party country- the PORKY PIG PARTY."

Can Elon Musk Be Deported? A Look At His Citizenship 

Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, SpaceX and X, was born in Pretoria, South Africa in 1971. He later moved to Canada at the age of 17, gaining Canadian citizenship through his mother, who was born in Saskatchewan. Elon Musk eventually moved to the United States to attend the University of Pennsylvania and later became a naturalized US citizen in 2002, making him a triple citizen of South Africa, Canada and the United States.

How Much Subsidies Do Elon Musk’s Companies Get From US Government?

Elon Musk’s companies hold significant federal contracts in the US- most notably SpaceX which holds roughly $22 billion in contracts with agencies such as NASA, the Department of Defense and the US Space Force. These deals cover a wide range of missions- from launching military satellites and resupplying the International Space Station to developing classified satellite systems under the Starshield program. In addition, Starlink, SpaceX’s satellite internet service, has received Pentagon support for military communications in conflict zones like Ukraine.

Tesla, has also benefited heavily from US government support as the Elon Musk previously received a $465 million loan from the Department of Energy, which it repaid in 2013, and has since capitalized on federal EV tax credits- worth up to $7,500 per vehicle- to boost sales.

First Published:

July 01, 2025, 17:56 IST