Trump says DOGE 'might have to go back and eat' Elon Musk after his criticism of the GOP bill

President Donald Trump threatened to sic the Department of Government Efficiency on Elon Musk's businesses, saying in a Truth Social post shortly after midnight that there was "big money to be saved."

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump threatened to have the Department of Government Efficiency re-examine government support for Elon Musk's businesses, saying in a Truth Social post shortly after midnight that there was "big money to be saved."

"Elon may get more subsidy than any human being in history, by far, and without subsidies, Elon would probably have to close up shop and head back home to South Africa," Trump said in the post. "No more Rocket launches, Satellites, or Electric Car Production, and our Country would save a FORTUNE."

"Perhaps we should have DOGE take a good, hard, look at this?" the president added.

Musk responded to the president's comments in a post to X, saying, "So tempting to escalate this. So, so tempting. But I will refrain for now."

Neither Musk nor a spokesperson for the super PAC he created, America PAC, immediately responded to a request for comment. In the hours after Trump's post, Musk reposted several graphics on X depicting a climbing national debt, which currently sits at more than $36 trillion, according to government data.