Trump-Musk Feud: Ian Bremmer Dissects Billionaire Blow-Up

Trump-Musk Feud Patch up Essential for Trump politically and economically for Musk: Ian Bremmer

By TRH News Desk

NEW DELHI, June 7, 2025 — Renowned political analyst Ian Bremmer has offered a scathing and nuanced breakdown of the explosive fallout between US President Donald Trump and tech titan Elon Musk, calling the feud “personal, political, and emblematic of deep dysfunction in American democracy.”

In a detailed video analysis, Bremmer traced the origins of the rift to Musk’s opposition to Trump’s so-called “Big Beautiful Bill” — a sweeping tax cut and spending expansion package that significantly adds to the US deficit. Musk publicly criticized the bill, decrying its fiscal recklessness and triggering a very public falling-out with Trump.

“That bill is still going forward. It doesn’t really matter that Elon doesn’t like it,” said Bremmer, adding that “there are really no fiscal hawks left in Congress.” He noted that pork-barrel politics continues to dominate US governance, rendering Musk’s opposition largely symbolic.

The Breaking Point: NASA Administrator Ouster

What turned a policy disagreement into a full-blown personal feud, according to Bremmer, was Trump’s sudden removal of the NASA Administrator — a key Musk ally and crucial figure for SpaceX’s deep entanglement with the US space program.

“That was a signal,” Bremmer explained. “Trump was publicly saying: ‘You thought you had access, but I can shut it off in a second.’”

Musk Hits Back: From Impeachment to Epstein

Musk didn’t hold back. He endorsed a call for Trump’s impeachment, floated the idea of forming a third party, and even hinted that Trump’s name could appear in unreleased Jeffrey Epstein documents. Musk deleted later the X post about Trump’s name in the Epstein documents.

“These are all third rails for Trump,” Bremmer said. “It’s not like he can’t forgive — JD Vance and half his Cabinet once said worse things — but this hit a nerve.”

Bremmer noted the irony: Musk, typically cautious around authoritarian leaders like Xi Jinping, appeared to miscalculate Trump’s response. While Musk has avoided criticizing China for fear of losing business, he seemed to assume political donations would guarantee loyalty from Trump.

“He thought he owned a piece of Trump,” said Bremmer. “But Trump doesn’t do long-term loyalty. In many ways, just like Xi Jinping.”

Kleptocracy and Banana Republic Parallels

Bremmer framed the spat within a broader critique of American political culture.

“The US is far more kleptocratic than any other advanced industrial democracy,” he said, accusing both Trump and Musk of participating in a pay-to-play environment that has become increasingly normalized. “When Trump threatens to cancel Musk’s billions in government contracts, that’s Banana Republic stuff.”

He further warned that this feud was not about the infamous $400 million Qatari jet allegedly offered to Trump, but about a much larger ecosystem of opaque money flows and influence — including crypto coins, international deals, and state contracts.

A Reconciliation Still Possible?

Despite the bitter exchanges, Bremmer suggested a truce remains on the table — especially given their mutual dependencies.

“It’s in Trump’s political interest and Elon’s economic interest to patch things up,” he said. “But whether rationality prevails over ego is unclear.”

He also pointed to key figures in Trump’s inner circle — like Steve Bannon, Stephen Miller, and Treasury Secretary Scott Besant — who are reportedly hostile toward Musk and could sabotage any potential rapprochement.

Implications for 2024 and Beyond

Bremmer concluded that the Trump-Musk clash is a symptom of broader instability in US governance — where personal vendettas often override national priorities, and elite infighting can paralyze effective administration.

“Aside from loyalty to Trump, there’s almost nothing keeping his coalition together,” he observed. “This fight has the potential to unleash more internal dysfunction — and that’s dangerous.” Added Bremmer.

Ian Bremmer is the founder and president of Eurasia Group, a global political risk consultancy. His full video commentary on the Trump-Musk feud can be found on his official X (formerly Twitter) account.

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About The Author

Manish Anand

Manish Anand is a senior journalist with more than two decades of hardcore reporting on beats such as Prime Minister’s Office, Parliament, BJP, Congress, Planning Commission, NITI Aayog, and scores of Union Ministries.

His past has been with The New Indian Express, The Asian Age/Deccan Chronicle, and The Statesman.

For about 15 years, Manish was also a regular commentator and host for talks on AIR on foreign affairs.

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