Why is Donald Trump ‘looking into’ deporting Tesla CEO Elon Musk? Feud explained
US President Donald Trump has threatened to deport Tesla CEO Elon Musk after the billionaire stepped up his criticism of Trump’s tax cuts and spending bill.
Tesla and SPaceX CEO Elon Musk (L) and US President Donald Trump shake hands as they attend the men’s NCAA wrestling competition at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.(AFP)
Trump has also suggested that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) review subsidies given to Musk, including those received by Tesla and SpaceX, to save money.
The fresh remarks from the President came after Musk renewed his criticism of his ‘One Big Beautiful Bill,’ which the Trump administration hopes to bring as law by July 4.
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When asked if he is looking into deporting Musk, Trump said, “I don’t know. We’ll have to take a look.”
Trump has also suggested putting ‘DOGE on Elon’, a move that is likely to create hurdles for Tesla and Musk’s business empire.
“We might have to put DOGE on Elon. You know what DOGE is? DOGE is the monster that might have to go back and eat Elon. He gets a lot of subsidies. But Elon is very upset that the EV mandate is going to be terminated. Not everybody wants an electric car,” Trump told reporters at the White House.
Following Trump’s threat, Musk responded: “So tempting to escalate this. So, so tempting. But I will refrain for now.”
Trump-Musk tension escalates
Elon Musk, a close aide of Trump, has been at loggerheads with the US President months after the billionaire endorsed the Republican President for his second term and also funded his election campaign.
However, the rivalry between the two has escalated in recent months over $4 trillion spending and tax bill. Musk, who is vocal of the bill’s negative impact on America’s national debt, has also threatened to support those challenging the lawmakers who vote for the bill.
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Trump has attributed Musk’s opposition to the bill to the elimination of subsidies that many of the billionaire’s business ventures benefit from.
The US President took to social media, threatening to withdraw subsidies from Musk’s companies, saying, “Elon would probably have to close up shop and head back home to South Africa.”
“Elon may get more subsidy than any human being in history, by far, and without subsidies, Elon would probably have to close up shop and head back home to South Africa. No more Rocket launches, Satellites, or Electric Car Production, and our Country would save a FORTUNE. Perhaps we should have DOGE take a good, hard, look at this? BIG MONEY TO BE SAVED!!!,” Trump posted on his social media platform Truth Social.
Musk, who has attacked Trump’s bill as an “insane spending bill”, has also threatened to help create a third political party in the US.
Can Trump deport Elon Musk?
Musk, who moved to the United States in 1992, is a US citizen since 2002. Born to a Canadian mother and a South African father, Trump became an American citizen by naturalisation after he moved to the US to study at the University of Pennsylvania, according to Politifact.
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Since Musk is a US citizen, President Trump cannot deport him unless his citizenship is revoked. However, the US government has the power to revoke citizenship through a process called ‘denaturalisation’.
The government has the power to take away the citizenship of a naturalized citizen if it is proved that the naturalization was obtained through fraud.
