From ally to adversary: Trump considers offloading Tesla in Musk feud

According to CBS News, a senior White House official confirmed the president was "reconsidering the optics" of owning a Tesla, particularly as the feud between the two men deepens.

Key points:

• Trump is reportedly considering selling his red Tesla Model S, which he previously purchased as a gesture of support for Musk and the electric vehicle company.
• The car has been parked unused at the White House for weeks, according to CBS.
• The president has recently threatened to cancel federal contracts and subsidies linked to Mr Musk’s companies, including Tesla and SpaceX.
• Musk briefly responded by threatening to decommission SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft, a key component of NASA’s International Space Station programme.
• The Tesla CEO later walked back that position after an appeal from a fellow businessman on social media.
• Tesla shares dropped more than 14% following the exchange.
• Musk has not responded to the president’s latest remarks, though his father, Errol Musk, told the BBC that the dispute would likely "fizzle out."

Earlier this year, Trump praised Musk’s achievements and posed alongside several Tesla models during a White House event. The car he’s now looking to sell was purchased shortly after, in what was widely seen as a personal endorsement of Musk and his companies.

But the relationship has since unravelled. Speaking to CNN, Trump said, "I’m not even thinking about Elon. He’s got a problem. The poor guy’s got a problem." In a separate interview with ABC News, he described Musk as "the man who has lost his mind" and said he wouldn’t be speaking to him "for some time."

The feud follows Musk’s vocal criticism of Trump’s domestic policy package earlier this week. In turn, Trump responded by questioning the federal support Musk’s companies receive and floated the idea of terminating contracts and subsidies altogether.

"The easiest way to save money in our Budget — billions and billions of dollars — is to terminate Elon’s Governmental Subsidies and Contracts," the president posted on Truth Social.

That prompted Musk to declare SpaceX would decommission its Dragon spacecraft, currently NASA’s only reliable option for resupply and crew transport to the International Space Station. He later reversed course after a social media user urged both sides to "cool off," replying simply: "ok, we won’t decommission Dragon."

Musk hasn’t responded directly to Trump’s latest remarks but did share his frustration online, suggesting the president owed him politically.

"Without me, Trump would have lost the election... Such ingratitude," he wrote on X, the platform he owns.

Trump later claimed Musk "went crazy" after he revoked the electric vehicle mandate and pushed him out of a White House advisory role. "He knew it was coming," Trump said. "He just couldn’t take it."

Elon Musk’s father, Errol, told the BBC the spat reminded him of "bulls having the final round over who will be boss," and suggested it would pass. He also noted his son’s dislike for political compromise, calling it "unfortunate but necessary" in public life.

While it’s unclear whether Trump will ultimately sell Tesla, the move would symbolise how far the relationship has fallen, from joint appearances and policy alignment to open personal attacks.

In the absence of formal statements from either man since Friday morning, one thing seems inevitable: the bromance has stalled, and the political mileage may be running low.