Elon Musk Says President Trump Would've Lost the Election Without Him
Originally appeared on E! Online
Elon Musk is clapping back.
After President Donald Trump expressed being "very disappointed" in him since he left his role in the administration, the Tesla CEO slammed the politician for having "such ingratitude," alleging that he deserves credit for the results of the 2024 presidential race.
"Without me," Musk wrote on X June 5, "Trump would have lost the election."
And the tech mogul didn't only claim he was a crucial reason Trump and Vice President JD Vance were able to defeat Democratic candidate Kamala Harris and her running mate Tim Walz.
Musk, 53, also alleged that he helped the Republican party gain the majority in the legislative branch, adding that without him, "Dems would control the House and Republicans would be 51-49 in the Senate."
And while Trump didn't respond directly to Musk's election remarks, he has since provided further insight into why the pair's political partnership came to an end.
"Elon was 'wearing thin,'" the Apprentice alum wrote on Truth Social June 5. "I asked him to leave, I took away his EV Mandate that forced everyone to buy Electric Cars that nobody else wanted (that he knew for months I was going to do!), and he just went CRAZY!"
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Shortly before Musk's election allegations, Trump shared where he stands with the SpaceX founder since he stepped away from his position as the head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), revealing that he no longer believed their relationship would go the distance.
'Elon and I had a great relationship," Trump told reporters in the Oval office on June 5 ahead of his sit-down with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, per NBC News. "I don't know if we will anymore.'
The politician explained that he wasn't pleased that Musk—who started his DOGE role in January—criticized his administration's tax cuts proposal shortly after his exit. As he put it, "I'm very disappointed in Elon. I've helped Elon a lot."
But the POTUS also said he wasn't surprised by the behavior. According to the 78-year-old, Musk was reacting similarly to others who became "hostile" after leaving his cabinet.
"People leave my administration, and they love us," Trump said. "And then at some point they miss it so badly, and some of them embrace it, and some of them actually become hostile."
He added, "They wake up in the morning, and the glamour is gone. The whole world is different, and they become hostile."
For a closer look at Trump's cabinet, keep reading.
(E! News and NBC News are both part of the NBCUniversal family.)
Vice President JD VanceSecretary of State Marco RubioSecretary of Treasury Scott BessentSecretary of Defense Pete HegsethAttorney General Pam BondiSecretary of Interior Doug BurgumSecretary of Agriculture Brooke RollinsSecretary of Commerce Howard LutnickSecretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemerSecretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr.Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Scott TurnerSecretary of Transportation Sean DuffySecretary of Energy Chris WrightSecretary of Education Linda McMahonSecretary of Veterans Affairs Doug CollinsSecretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem
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