Trump-Musk row explodes as billionaire claims President named in Epstein files

The key political partnership between Donald Trump and Elon and Elon Musk has exploded in spectacular fashion with a bitter war of words.

It began when Mr Trump said he was “surprised and disappointed” at Elon Musk’s criticism of his flagship budget bill. He said they had had a “great relationship” but “I don’t know if we will any more”.

Elon Musk responded on his social media platform X with a series of increasingly heated remarks about his former boss. He said the President’s claims that he has supported the budget bill were “false”. He said Mr Trump was “ungrateful” for his help in getting elected and would have lost the election without his financial support. Elon Musk also claimed that the President’s tariffs policy would lead to a recession.

Then Musk made an extraordinary allegation. He said that Donald Trump is in the files about the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. He said that “is the real reason they have not been made public”.

Donald Trump suggested that the easiest way to save money would be to terminate the billions of dollars in government contracts and subsidies that go to Elon Musk’s companies.