Tech mogul Elon Musk has publicly accused former U.S. President Donald Trump of being linked to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, a bombshell claim that marks a new low in their rapidly deteriorating relationship.
In a post shared Thursday on X, the platform Musk owns, the billionaire claimed, “@realDonaldTrump is in the Epstein files,” adding, “that is the real reason they have not been made public.” Musk provided no evidence to support his accusation, which comes amid an increasingly bitter exchange between the two high-profile figures.
Epstein died by suicide in jail in August 2019 while awaiting trial on charges of sex trafficking minors. The files relating to his criminal network have long been the subject of public speculation and conspiracy theories.
The latest outburst followed President Trump’s criticism of Musk’s opposition to the administration’s recently passed tax legislation, which Musk previously described as an “outrageous abomination.” In remarks to White House reporters Thursday, Trump expressed disappointment in Musk, saying, “Elon and I had a great relationship. I don’t know if we will anymore. I am disappointed in Elon.”
Musk quickly responded with a scathing post on X, accusing Trump of ingratitude and claiming responsibility for his electoral success. “Without me, Trump would have lost the election, Dems would control the House and the Republicans would be 51-49 in the Senate,” Musk wrote.
The fallout appears to have been brewing for weeks, intensified by Musk’s recent resignation as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a role he assumed under the Trump administration. His departure came shortly before he launched repeated attacks on the administration’s flagship legislation—nicknamed the “One Big Beautiful Bill”—which includes extended tax cuts, increased immigration enforcement, and stricter work requirements for federal assistance programs.
In a dramatic move, Musk also announced that SpaceX would begin decommissioning its Dragon spacecraft following Trump’s threat to cancel government contracts with Musk’s companies. “In light of the President’s statement about cancellation of my government contracts, @SpaceX will begin decommissioning its Dragon spacecraft immediately,” he posted.
Musk had endorsed Trump last July following the attempted assassination of the former president in Pennsylvania. He reportedly contributed $250 million to support Trump’s campaign. The relationship that once appeared mutually beneficial is now unraveling in public view, with accusations and political fallout escalating by the day.
