President Donald Trump and businessman Elon Musk are continuing their feud after Musk criticized President Trump's tax and spending proposal currently being considered by Congress.
The bill would extend expiring tax cuts approved in 2017, cut Medicaid and food stamp funding, increase spending on border patrol and enforcement, and make other notable changes to federal programs. Among the changes is the elimination of credits for those who purchase electric vehicles.
President Trump claims that Musk's opposition to the spending bill is primarily due to the elimination of electric vehicle credits. Musk is the owner of Tesla, one of the world's largest electric vehicle manufacturers.
On Tuesday, President Trump was asked if he would consider deporting Musk, a native of South Africa. Although Musk was not a U.S. citizen at birth, he has been a citizen for over two decades.
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"I think we'll have to take a look," President Trump said in response to the question about deporting Musk. "We might have to put DOGE on Elon, you know. DOGE is the monster that might have to go back and eat Elon. Wouldn't that be terrible?
"He gets a lot of subsidies, but Elon's very upset that the EV mandate is going to be terminated, and you know what, when you look at it, not everybody wants an electric car. I don't want an electric car. I want to have maybe gasoline, maybe electric, maybe a hybrid, maybe, someday a hydrogen. If you have a hydrogen car, it has one problem, it blows up."
Musk has cited the bill's potentially hefty increase to the U.S. deficit. A recent Congressional Budget Office estimate claimed the legislation would increase the federal government's deficit by $3.3 trillion.
"Every member of Congress who campaigned on reducing government spending and then immediately voted for the biggest debt increase in history should hang their head in shame! And they will lose their primary next year if it is the last thing I do on this Earth," Musk said.
The legislation was being considered in the U.S. Senate on Tuesday. The bill would then have to return to the House for final approval.
