The pairing of Donald Trump and Elon Musk, the leader of the richest country in the world with the richest person in the world, seemed a perfect match.

But the last 10 days have seen the pair move from gentle disagreement to bitter acrimony. These are the public moments which brought their relationship crashing down.

Wednesday 28 May

Elon Musk says he is "disappointed" with Trump's "big, beautiful bill", in interview with CBS Sunday Morning

Speaking to CBS News, Musk criticises Trump's plans for a new bill on tax and spending - saying the planned legislation left him "disappointed".

Trump later admits to reporters that he is "not happy about certain aspects" of the bill while at the same time being "thrilled" about some aspects, such as tax cuts.

He doesn't comment directly on Musk's remarks, however.

Thursday 29 May

Musk announces he will be leaving the Trump administration after his scheduled time as a special government employee reaches its end. He had led a cost-cutting mission known as the Department of Government Efficiency (Doge).

In a post on X, Elon Musk writes: "As my scheduled time as a special government employee come sto an end I would like to thank President @realDonaldTrump for the opportunity to reduce wasteful spending. The DOGE mission will only strengthen over time as it become a way of life throughout government."

Below it, a Truth Social post from Donald Trump reads: "I am having a press conference tomorrow at 1:30 PM EST, with Elon Musk, at the Oval Office. This will be his last day, but not really, because he will, always, be with us, helping all the way. Elon is terrific! See you tomorrow at the White House."

Friday 30 May

Trump praises Musk as the latter appears with a black eye in a press conference on his last day at the White House.

Musk is "not really leaving", the president says, and will continue to be "back and forth" to the White House.

Monday 2 June

Trump defends his "big, beautiful bill" in a post on Truth Social, claiming "many false statements" are being made about his landmark economic policy.

Tuesday 3 June

Musk again attacks Trump's planned bill, calling it "massive, outrageous, pork-filled" and "a disgusting abomination" in a post on X.

In US politics, "pork" refers to spending on projects in lawmakers' constituencies.

It marks the start of an escalation in comments from Musk on social media.

In a post on X, Elon Musk writes: "I'm sorry but I just can't stand it anymore. This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination. Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong. Youknow it."

Wednesday 4 June, 13:57 local time (18:57 BST)

Musk calls for a new spending bill "that doesn't massively grow the [US government budget] deficit and increase the debt ceiling".

Wednesday 4 June, 14:50

Musk urges his followers to call their representatives to oppose Trump's bill.

In a post on X, Elon Musk writes: "Call your Senator, Call your Congressman, Bankrupting America is NOT ok! Kill the Bill."

Thursday 5 June, 11:20

Musk quotes a series of old post on X by Trump, from 2012 and 2013, in which Trump criticises government spending.

Screengrabs of two posts on X. In the first, Elon Musk writes "wise words" in response to a 2013 post from Donald Trump which reads "I cannot believe the Republicans are extending the debt ceiling - I am a Republican & I am embarrassed".

In a second post, Elon Musk writes "couldn't agree more" in response to a 2012 post on X from Donald Trump which reads: "No member of Congress should be eligible for re-election if our country's budget is not balanced - deficits not allowed!"

Thursday 5 June, 12:00

Speaking in the Oval Office alongside German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Trump says he and Musk "had" a great relationship but "I don't know if we will anymore".

He also says Musk is "upset" that subsidies for electric vehicles would be cut in his planned bill, affecting the billionaire's Tesla and SpaceX businesses.

Trump: "I'm very disappointed in Elon"

Thursday 5 June, 12:19

Musk responds in real-time to the broadcast from the Oval Office, dismissing Trump's assertions.

In a post on X, Elon Musk writes: "Whatever. Keep the EV/solar incentive cuts in the bill, even though no oil & gas subsidies are touched (very unfair!!), but ditch the MOUNTAIN of DISGUSTING PORK in the bill. In the entire history of civilisation, there has never been legislation that both big and beautiful. Everyone knows this! Either you get a big and ugly bill or a slim and beautiful bill. Slim and beautiful is the way."

Thursday 5 June 12:24

Back at the White House, Trump tells reporters Musk knew "every aspect of the bill" and says he is "very disappointed in Elon".

Thursday 5 June, 12:25

"False," replies Musk on X. "This bill was never shown to me even once and was passed in the dead of night so fast that almost no-one in Congress would even read it!"

Thursday 5 June, 12:44

Musk resurfaces old Trump posts on X, highlighting moments when the president criticised America's budget deficits. "Where is this guy today??" he asks.

Thursday 5 June, 12:46

Replying to another user on X, Musk says: "Without me, Trump would have lost the election." He goes on to say: "Such ingratitude".

Thursday 5 June, 13:44

Still going, Musk claims on X that "the Big Ugly Bill will INCREASE the deficit to $2.5 trillion".

In a post on X, Elon Musk writes: "The Big Ugly Bill will INCREASE the deficit to $2.5 trillion!" in response to Tesla Owners Sillicon Valley writing" Elon Musk "we have a $2 trillion deficit. It keeps growing. our interest payments are higher than our defense department budget."

Thursday 5 June, 13:49

Musk continues to quote old Trump posts on X about government spending. He asks: "Where is the man who wrote these words? Was he replaced by a body double!?"

Thursday 5 June, 13:57

"Is it time to create a new political party in America that actually represents the 80% in the middle?" Musk asks in a poll on X.

Thursday 5 June, 14:37

Trump starts posting on his Truth Social platform, saying Musk had been "wearing thin" so he asked him to leave the White House, and alleging that Musk "went CRAZY".

Musk calls this "an obvious lie".

"The easiest way to save money in our Budget," Trump continues in another post, "is to terminate Elon's Governmental Subsidies and Contracts".

In a Truth Social post, Donald Trump writes: "Elon was wearing thin, I asked him to leave, I took away his EV mandate that forced everyone to buy Electric Cars that nobody else wanted (that he knew for months I was going to do!) and he just went CRAZY!"

Thursday 5 June, 15:10

Musk alleges, without providing evidence, that Trump appears in the "Epstein files", referring to court documents and evidence collected by investigators into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

In a post on X, Elon Musk writes: "Time to drop the really big bomb: @realDonaldTrump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public. Have a nice day, DJT!"

Thursday 5 June, 16:06

Posting on Truth Social, Trump says he doesn't mind "Elon turning against me" and continues to defend his bill.

In a post on Truth Social, Donald Trump writes: "I don't mind Elon turning against me, but he should have done so months ago. This is one of the Greatest Bills ever presented to Congress. It's a record cut in expenses, $1.6 trillion dollars, and the biggest tax cut ever given. If this Bill doesn't pass there will be a 68% tax increase, and things far worse than that. I didn't create this mess, I'm just here to fix it. This puts our country on a path of greatness. Make american great again!"

Thursday 5 June, 16:09

Responding to Trump's suggestion that he could terminate government contracts with Musk's companies, Musk says he will "immediately" decommission the Dragon spacecraft - a craft that is capable of travelling to the International Space Station.

In a Truth Social post, Trump writes: "The easiest way to save money in our Budget, billions and billions of dollars, is to terminate Elon's governmental subsidies and contracts. I was always surprised that Biden didn't do it!"

Musk responds: "In light of the President's statement about cancellation of my government contracts, @SpaceX will begin decommissioning its Dragon spacecraft immediately".

Thursday 5 June, 16:11

Musk appears to endorse impeaching Trump while quoting a conspiracy theorist who shared his Epstein files claim about the president.

Thursday 5 June, 16:26

Musk attacks another of Trump's signature policies - his trade tariffs - by posting on X to say these "will cause a recession in the second half of this year".

Thursday 5 June, 21:27

Musk appears to soften, replying on X "you're not wrong" to another billionaire Trump backer, Bill Ackman, who had called for the pair to "make peace for the benefit of our great country".

An exchange on X between Bill Ackman and Elon Musk. Ackman writes:" I support @realDonaldTrump and @elonmusk and they should make peace for the benefit of our great country. We are much stronger together than apart." Musk replies: "You're not wrong."

Friday 6 June, 08:05

Trump describes Musk as "the man who has lost his mind" in an interview with ABC News and says he is "not particularly" interested in speaking to him.

The White House tells the BBC Trump does not intend to talk to the tech billionaire today, after reports they would speak on the phone later.

It is also reported by CBS, the BBC's US partner, that Trump is considering selling his Tesla car - which he had purchased when he was trying to help Musk promote his company.

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Trump and Musk trade insults as row erupts in public view

The breaking point came after Musk criticised Trump's centrepiece "big, beautiful" spending bill as an "abomination".

(BBC)

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