Elon Musk backs Thomas Massie in 2026, escalating feud with Donald Trump
TOI World Desk | TIMESOFINDIA.COM | Jul 03, 2025, 00:51 IST
( Image credit : ANI, TOIGLOBAL )
Elon Musk supports Thomas Massie's re-election bid in 2026. This escalates his conflict with Donald Trump. Trump backs a primary challenger to Massie. The feud stems from disagreements on spending and EV policies. Musk criticizes Trump's spending plans. Trump attacks Musk's reliance on subsidies. Tesla's stock fell after Trump's comments. Musk's support for Massie marks a shift.
Elon Musk has intensified his ongoing feud with former President Donald Trump by publicly endorsing Representative Thomas Massie’s 2026 re-election campaign. This endorsement directly challenges Trump, who is actively working to unseat Massie by supporting a primary challenger. The conflict between Musk and Trump has deepened over disagreements on government spending, subsidies, and electric vehicle policies.
Musk confirmed his support for Massie through a brief response on X (formerly Twitter), signaling his commitment to helping the congressman retain his seat. Massie has long opposed many of Trump’s initiatives, including the “One Big Beautiful” spending bill and military actions such as airstrikes on Iran. Trump’s team has responded by launching a new Super PAC called MAGA Kentucky, which is already running advertisements against Massie and backing state senator Aaron Reed as his replacement.
The rivalry between Musk and Trump has become increasingly personal. Musk has criticized Trump’s spending proposals, warning that such bills would balloon the national debt and even threatening to support the creation of a new political party called the “America Party” if excessive spending continues. He has vowed to help defeat any politicians who back these spending plans.
Trump fired back on Truth Social, defending his efforts to repeal Biden’s electric vehicle mandates. He accused Musk of taking more government subsidies than any other individual and mocked the Tesla CEO by suggesting that without these subsidies, Musk would have to shut down his companies and return to South Africa. Trump also sarcastically referenced “DOGE,” a nod to the cryptocurrency popularized by Musk, and warned of cutting off support for rockets, satellites, and electric cars.
The clash between the two high-profile figures has already had market repercussions, with Tesla’s stock dropping more than 5 percent on European exchanges following Trump’s comments.
Musk’s backing of Massie marks a notable shift given Musk’s prior financial support for Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign, which totaled nearly $300 million. This move underscores the growing divide between Musk and Trump as they support opposing political figures and compete over the direction of conservative politics in the United States.
As the 2026 election cycle approaches, this feud promises to shape both campaigns and could influence broader political dynamics within the Republican Party.
Musk confirmed his support for Massie through a brief response on X (formerly Twitter), signaling his commitment to helping the congressman retain his seat. Massie has long opposed many of Trump’s initiatives, including the “One Big Beautiful” spending bill and military actions such as airstrikes on Iran. Trump’s team has responded by launching a new Super PAC called MAGA Kentucky, which is already running advertisements against Massie and backing state senator Aaron Reed as his replacement.
The rivalry between Musk and Trump has become increasingly personal. Musk has criticized Trump’s spending proposals, warning that such bills would balloon the national debt and even threatening to support the creation of a new political party called the “America Party” if excessive spending continues. He has vowed to help defeat any politicians who back these spending plans.
Trump fired back on Truth Social, defending his efforts to repeal Biden’s electric vehicle mandates. He accused Musk of taking more government subsidies than any other individual and mocked the Tesla CEO by suggesting that without these subsidies, Musk would have to shut down his companies and return to South Africa. Trump also sarcastically referenced “DOGE,” a nod to the cryptocurrency popularized by Musk, and warned of cutting off support for rockets, satellites, and electric cars.
The clash between the two high-profile figures has already had market repercussions, with Tesla’s stock dropping more than 5 percent on European exchanges following Trump’s comments.
Musk’s backing of Massie marks a notable shift given Musk’s prior financial support for Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign, which totaled nearly $300 million. This move underscores the growing divide between Musk and Trump as they support opposing political figures and compete over the direction of conservative politics in the United States.
As the 2026 election cycle approaches, this feud promises to shape both campaigns and could influence broader political dynamics within the Republican Party.