Trump Says He Has “No Desire” to Rebuild Relationship with Elon Musk

U.S. President Donald Trump has firmly stated that he has no interest in repairing his fractured relationship with tech billionaire Elon Musk, signaling a deepening rift between the two once-close allies.

The fallout began after Musk resigned from his role as a presidential adviser, just one day after criticizing a Trump-backed tax bill. While Musk initially cited a contractual obligation as the reason for his exit, Trump dismissed that explanation, claiming he asked Musk to step down because he was “wearing thin.”

The tension escalated in recent days, with both figures exchanging heated jabs on social media. In a series of now-deleted posts on X (formerly Twitter), Musk accused Trump of being linked to the Jeffrey Epstein files and warned that the president’s tariff policies could trigger a recession. Musk also called Trump ungrateful and expressed support for efforts to impeach him.

Speaking to NBC News in a phone interview Saturday, Trump responded sharply. “He’s very disrespectful to the office of the president,” he said. When asked if he saw a future for their relationship, Trump replied, “I would assume so, yeah,” adding plainly, “No,” when asked if he wanted to repair it.

“I’m too busy doing other things,” Trump continued. “I have no intention of speaking to him.”

Trump’s remarks come as the “Big Beautiful Bill,” a centerpiece of his tax reform agenda, continues to be debated in the Senate after passing in the House. Musk has been an outspoken critic of the bill and is rumored to be considering financial support for Democratic candidates opposing it.

“If he funds people to go after Republicans who back the bill, there will be serious consequences,” Trump warned, though he did not specify what those consequences would be.

The president also pushed back on Musk’s Epstein-related allegations, calling them “old news.” “Even Epstein’s lawyer said I had nothing to do with it,” he told NBC.

As part of what appears to be a growing list of retaliatory measures, Trump said federal contracts awarded to Musk’s companies could be canceled. However, he later admitted he had not given serious thought to the move.

He also revealed that allies have encouraged investigations into Musk’s business operations and immigration status, though no formal action has been announced.