Elon Musk could be staring down one of the biggest political battles of his life after a recent public fallout with Donald Trump — who is now hinting at the possibility of deporting the Tesla and SpaceX mogul from the United States.
Elon Musk has significantly backtracked on the explosive statements he made about President Donald Trump last week.
The Trump-Musk power dynamic was a major part of the narrative when the former won last year’s presidential election, and the apparent closeness of their relationship was further evidenced when Trump made Musk the de-facto head of the Department of Government Efficiency.
The brewing bromance linking two of the most powerful men in the world became the stuff of mass hysteria.
But now, in July 2025, everything is different.
The drama exploded in early June when Musk and Trump went head-to-head on social media, trading sharp accusations and ending what had once been a strong relationship.
Since then, Musk has been striking back hard, pledging to bankroll campaigns against Republican lawmakers and even launching his own political party to challenge the status quo — moves that could shake up American politics if they gain traction.
Trump isn’t playing defense
But Trump isn’t just playing defense. The president has also threatened to pull government support from Musk, targeting the electric vehicle subsidies Tesla benefits from and even suggesting cutting ties with agencies like NASA, which rely heavily on Musk’s companies.
Now, the stakes seem higher than ever. Trump recently hinted that deporting Musk might be on the table — a shocking claim given Musk’s naturalized U.S. citizenship.
When Fox News asked Trump if he was seriously considering deporting Musk, he gave a teasing but serious reply: ”We’ll have to take a look.”
He added with a hint of humor:
”We might have to put DOGE on Elon. You know what DOGE is? The monster that might have to go back and eat Elon.
Wouldn’t that be terrible? He gets a lot of subsidies.”
The “DOGE” reference seems to signal a crackdown on the government subsidies Musk’s ventures currently receive, reinforcing Trump’s earlier threats to sever all government contracts with Tesla and SpaceX.
A former White House official even mentioned that deportation discussions included potentially seizing Musk’s companies — a move that would send shockwaves through the tech and automotive industries.
Elon Musk reacts
True to form, Musk didn’t stay silent. On X, he fired back with a cryptic but defiant message:
”So tempting to escalate this. So, so tempting. But I will refrain for now.”
On July 2nd, however, Elon reversed his criticism of Trump — instead praising the president in a rather unusual tweet given all the tension between the two men. “Credit where credit is due.
@realDonaldTrump has successfully resolved several serious conflicts around the world,” Elon tweeted.
What Musk might do next remains unclear, but many suspect he’s weighing options to legally cement his status or fight any attempts to undermine his business ties to the government.
Legally speaking, deporting Elon Musk isn’t straightforward.
Musk became a naturalized U.S. citizen back in 2002 after initially coming to the country on a student visa.
According to immigration experts, that status protects him from routine deportation efforts.
However, the door isn’t completely closed.
The government could attempt to challenge Musk’s citizenship by alleging fraud or dishonesty on his application — a risky and complicated legal route that would be unprecedented, especially given Musk’s high profile.
If such a case succeeded, deportation to his birthplace, South Africa, or potentially Canada or Russia could be on the table.
Still, there’s no evidence Musk committed any wrongdoing in his citizenship process, and deporting someone of his stature would be a monumental challenge.
Yet the Trump administration appears ready to push the limits if it means striking a blow against one of its most prominent critics.
This political saga is far from over — and the consequences for Musk, his companies, and even U.S. politics could be massive if this escalates further.
For now, Musk has chosen to hold back, but with stakes this high, the next move could come at any moment.
What do you make of the breakdown of relations between Donald Trump and Elon Musk? Let us know in the comments.