Trump and Musk in All-Out Brawl, Vice President J.D. Vance Caught in the Crossfire
Elon Musk torpedoes Trump’s signature spending bill, calls for impeachment, and lifts VP J.D. Vance into the national spotlight as GOP factions erupt into open war.
President Roberson
June 06, 2025
WASHINGTON, D.C. — A political brawl of historic proportions is unfolding between former President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk, marking the collapse of a once-influential alliance. The conflict has intensified after the defeat of Trump’s ambitious “One Big Beautiful Bill,” which Musk lambasted as a fiscal “disaster,” and escalated into an extraordinary call for Trump’s impeachment—turning Vice President J.D. Vance into a reluctant but central figure in the power struggle.
1. Musk Leads Effort to Kill Trump’s “Beautiful Bill”
The chaos began when Trump’s landmark spending package—the so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill”—collapsed in the Senate on June 3. The $1.2 trillion legislation, meant to fund infrastructure, defense expansion, and economic incentives, failed after a public and behind-the-scenes campaign led by Musk and several libertarian-aligned GOP senators.
“This bill is a disgusting abomination,” Musk posted on X. “It’s the most fiscally irresponsible legislation in modern history.”
“Shame on every Republican who backed it,” Musk continued, tagging senators and Trump himself. “You’ve betrayed the American taxpayer.”
Following Musk’s attacks, multiple conservative think tanks and Republican influencers turned against the bill, calling it “Bidenomics in a red hat.” A bloc of hardline senators, aligned with Musk, voted no—effectively killing the legislation in a dramatic 49–51 vote. The public defeat sent shockwaves through MAGA circles and deeply embarrassed Trump, who had promoted the bill as a cornerstone of his return to power.
2. Musk: “Impeach Him”
Just one day after the bill’s defeat, Musk dropped a bombshell: he called for Trump’s impeachment, accusing the former president of corruption, authoritarian behavior, and “cozying up to Epstein’s enablers.”
“Trump is not above the law. Congress must begin impeachment proceedings immediately,” Musk posted to his 214 million X followers on June 4.
He added cryptically:
“There are tapes.”
The exact meaning of Musk’s reference remains unclear, but it unleashed a torrent of speculation and media frenzy. Musk’s pivot—going from Trump ally and donor to a de facto opposition leader—marks one of the most shocking reversals in modern political history.
3. Trump Explodes, Targets Musk
Trump, predictably, responded with fury.
“Elon Musk is a sick puppy,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “He was BEGGING for contracts and tax breaks, and now he’s trying to sabotage our country.”
“No more Tesla subsidies. No more SpaceX deals. We’re done.”
Trump also lashed out at Republican senators who voted down his bill, accusing them of being “bought and bullied by a tech bro who couldn’t even keep a truck windshield from cracking.”
Within hours, the White House announced a “review” of all federal agreements with Musk-affiliated companies. Meanwhile, Tesla shares plummeted 14%, wiping out billions in market value—a blow Musk appeared to wear with pride.
4. Vance Pulled Into a Fight He Didn’t Start
As the feud intensified, Musk began publicly positioning Vice President J.D. Vance as the leader America “actually needs.”
“Vance is the future,” Musk posted. “He understands America’s problems—and doesn’t waste time worshiping the past.”
Musk liked and reposted dozens of messages calling for Vance to replace Trump, fueling speculation of a “tech-elite coup” within the GOP. The posts portrayed Vance as the sober alternative to Trump’s erratic populism—a figure who could unite national conservatives with Silicon Valley libertarians.
Vance, clearly uncomfortable with the attention, moved quickly to deny any involvement in Musk’s campaign.
“Let me be clear: I serve the President. Period,” Vance told Fox News. “I’m not interested in fantasy football politics or whatever Elon’s playing at.”
Still, some insiders say Trump was “deeply irritated” by Vance’s past ties to Musk—and has begun quietly questioning the loyalty of his own vice president.
5. Fallout and the Fractured Right
The feud has cleaved the Republican landscape into uneasy camps: Trump loyalists furious at Musk’s perceived betrayal, and younger conservatives intrigued by Musk’s vision for a post-Trump party. Former Trump advisor Steve Bannon said on his show:
“This is war. Musk wants to run the country from a launchpad in Texas—and he’s got his eyes on JD.”
On MSNBC, host Lawrence O’Donnell mocked Trump’s waning control:
“It wasn’t JD Vance who humiliated Trump—it was Elon Musk, who walked into the Oval Office, said 3,600 words to Trump’s 2,400, and left Trump blinking.”
6. Congress Fires Back at Musk Over “Beautiful Bill” Sabotage
As Elon Musk celebrated the defeat of President Trump’s signature legislation, congressional leaders—both Trump loyalists and institutional conservatives—issued scathing rebukes, accusing Musk of meddling in government policy and undermining economic progress.
Former Republican Senate nominee Blake Masters (R-AZ), once considered an ideological ally of Musk, denounced the billionaire’s tactics:
“Elon Musk has every right to his opinion—but when he uses his tech empire to pressure lawmakers and tank a critical national bill, that’s no longer free speech. That’s sabotage.”
“He didn’t kill the bill. He killed jobs, infrastructure, and military readiness. Congratulations on the chaos.”
Masters confirmed that the Senate would open hearings into “undue corporate influence” on national legislation, hinting at new disclosure rules for private sector lobbying through social platforms like X.
Chair of the House Republican Conference Elise Stefanik (R-NY) was even more direct in her condemnation:
“Elon Musk single-handedly turned a bipartisan investment in America into a viral takedown campaign. He weaponized social media to undermine national interests—and cheered while it burned.”
She added that the House will revisit its antitrust probe into Musk-owned entities, including Starlink and Tesla’s dominance in the EV subsidy market.
“This is no longer just about a bill. This is about one man deciding he’s above the legislative process.”
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) joined in the criticism, calling Musk’s role in the bill’s defeat “deeply dangerous.”
“We now live in a world where billionaires can destroy legislation with memes, bots, and bluster. This should alarm every American—left, right, or center.”
Behind the scenes, aides from both parties reportedly discussed the possibility of crafting a bipartisan ethics framework around digital lobbying and non-traditional influence operations—informally nicknamed the “Musk Rules.”
One Republican senator, speaking anonymously, summed up the mood:
“We’ve had presidents defeated at the ballot box. This may be the first time one was outgunned on the internet.”
📊 Public Opinion Snapshot
Donald Trump
Job approval: around 48% approve, 44‑50% disapprove — a slightly positive net rating in mid‑2025 .
Among Republicans, approval remains extremely high (~93–90%), with independents split (~38–55%) .
Elon Musk
Favorability: 43–54% unfavorable, 41–42% favorable .
Among Republicans: ~72–73% favorable; Democrats: 12–15% favorable.
Influence: ~55% believe he wields too much power in government; only ~36% think his influence is appropriate.
Approval of his government role: ~41% approve, 45% disapprove.
Vice President J.D. Vance
Congressional Leaders
House Speaker Mike Johnson: ~30–36% favorable, ~33–35% unfavorable; ~35% haven’t heard of him.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune: ~17% favorable, 20% unfavorable; most have no opinion (~60%)
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries: ~28% favorable, 26% unfavorable; ~44% unfamiliar .
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer: ~28% favorable, 46% unfavorable.
🔍 Analysis and Context
Trump remains the benchmark, sustaining around 48%, with strong partisan loyalty.
Musk is polarizing: highly viewed among Republicans (~70% favorable) but largely disliked by Democrats and independents; many feel he wields excessive power.
Vance is relatively well-regarded within Republicans but lacks broad nationwide recognition.
Congressional leaders are largely low-profile, with Speaker Johnson and Leader Thune receiving weak public visibility and mixed reviews.
✅ Summary Table
Figure | Favorability | Notes |
|---|---|---|
Trump | ~48% | Very high GOP base approval (90%+) |
Musk | ~41–43% | GOP favorable (~72%), Democrats largely unfavorable |
J.D. Vance | ~47% qualified | Strong GOP support (80%), mixed overall |
Mike Johnson | ~30–36% | Low awareness; split opinions |
John Thune | ~17% | Low awareness; limited favorability |
Hakeem Jeffries | ~28% | Middle-range favorability, awareness |
Chuck Schumer | ~28% | More unfavorable than favorable (~46%) |
What’s Next?
Player | Position |
|---|---|
Trump | Infuriated, retaliating with threats of subsidy cuts, purging Musk allies. |
Musk | Triumphant after defeating the “Beautiful Bill,” actively reshaping GOP dynamics. |
Vance | Publicly loyal, privately walking a tightrope—his political future now uncomfortably visible. |
Conclusion
The unraveling of the Trump–Musk alliance over spending, loyalty, and control of the future of conservatism has become one of the most dramatic spectacles in recent American politics. With impeachment calls in the air and Vance now unwillingly drafted into a high-stakes power war, the only certainty is that this story is far from over.
As one strategist close to Vance put it, anonymously:
“When two kings fight, the prince better watch where he stands.”
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