The Musk vs Trump Feud Is Theater

In recent months, headlines have been buzzing with claims of a “feud” between Elon Musk and Donald Trump. Trump calls Musk “bullshit.” Musk says Trump should “sail into the sunset.” Journalists eat it up. Twitter (or X) users take sides. But strip away the drama, and you’re left with what this really is: performance.

Let’s break down why this “feud” is more smoke than fire — and why it didn’t actually hurt either of them.

1. No One Actually Loses

At the surface, it looks like a clash of titans: Trump, the former president and populist firebrand, versus Musk, the world’s richest man and self-declared “free speech absolutist.” But nothing about this back-and-forth comes with real stakes. No business deals are lost. No reputations are meaningfully damaged. Neither one risks his platform, wealth, or influence. In fact, they feed each other’s relevance.

Trump uses Musk to prove he’s not in bed with tech elites. Musk uses Trump to show he’s not aligned with the far right. Both win. You lose — if you take it seriously.

2. A Real Example from 2025: Public Attacks, Private Wins

To see how hollow the “feud” really is, look at what happened in 2025:

In early 2025, Trump ramped up his campaign by attacking Elon Musk directly. He called Musk “a guy who came begging me for help,” mocked his immigrant status, and claimed he was “no friend to the American worker.” Media framed it as a high-profile war between two media influencers.

But here’s what actually happened:

• Musk’s Influence Grew on the Right
  Even after Trump’s attacks, Musk was invited to CPAC 2025 as a keynote speaker. Conservative influencers continued to praise him for his “anti-woke” stance and commitment to “free speech” on X. There was no boycott, no collapse in user base, no political distancing. In fact, X’s engagement rose.
• Trump Kept His Billionaire Network
  Despite lashing out at Musk, Trump held private fundraising dinners with tech investors — including some with ties to Musk's companies. His donations from the venture capital and private equity world didn't suffer. Behind closed doors, it was business as usual.
• Tesla and SpaceX Kept Winning
  Tesla continued to enjoy subsidies and tax breaks in red states like Texas and Florida. SpaceX still landed federal contracts — some approved by Trump-aligned Congress members. If this were a real war, policy consequences would’ve followed. None did.
• Trump Gained Attention, Not Backlash
  After insulting Musk, Trump’s media coverage surged — especially on cable news and online platforms. His poll numbers among older GOP voters ticked upward. It wasn’t about principles. It was about headlines. And he got them.
• Musk Used It to Boost X
  Musk responded to Trump’s insults by reposting memes, mocking Trump's age, and reminding users that “no one controls me.” His platform (X) saw a spike in engagement. Controversy brought people back, and advertisers quietly returned in Q2 2025 after months of hesitancy.

So who got hurt? Neither. The feud didn’t cost them power, money, or influence. It was just another successful attention exchange between two high-functioning narcissists.

3. The Tax Game Neither of Them Talks About

One thing Trump hasn’t mentioned in his attacks on Musk? Tax exemptions — because they both benefit from the same system.

Musk’s companies — Tesla, SpaceX, and X — have received billions in tax breaks, many from red states Trump carried in 2016 and 2020:

• Texas handed Tesla massive tax relief to build the Gigafactory in Austin — including local property tax abatements for over a decade.
• Florida has given SpaceX incentives for expanding its launch sites.
• At the federal level, SpaceX has received defense and NASA contracts — padded with R&D credits and tax deferrals.

And let’s not forget: the 2017 Trump tax cuts directly helped billionaires like Musk by slashing corporate tax rates and offering favorable write-offs for capital expenditures and stock options. These are not minor benefits — they are core to Musk’s long-term financial strategy.

If Trump were serious about “going after Musk,” he’d be proposing to cut off those tax perks. He’s not. Because both men benefit from the same billionaire-friendly infrastructure — and they know it.

4. Timing Is Always Convenient

These spats don’t erupt randomly. They’re timed.

• Trump needs campaign buzz → slam Musk.
• Musk needs to distract from declining platform trust → swipe at Trump.
• Media needs content → promote the “billionaire feud” narrative.

Everyone gets what they want. But nothing changes. No new policy. No public accountability. Just noise.

5. Public Fights, Private Alignment

Publicly, they posture like enemies. But structurally, they still want the same things:

• Lower taxes on the ultra-rich
• Deregulation
• Government contracts
• Weak labor power

Trump pushes it through policy. Musk benefits from it quietly. Their fights are about optics — not power.

6. It’s Branding, Not Belief

• Trump gets to attack tech billionaires and rile up his base.
• Musk gets to play the free-thinking renegade not loyal to any political party.

Every jab strengthens their personal brands. It gives audiences the illusion of independence — even as they both quietly work the same game from different angles.

7. No Real Debate, Just Ego Theater

They’re not arguing over the future of AI, climate policy, worker rights, or how tech platforms influence elections. They’re insulting each other like reality TV contestants:

• “He begged me for help.”
• “He should retire.”
• “He’s a liar.”
• “He’s unstable.”

It’s lowest-common-denominator brawling. Empty calories. And most people are eating it up.

Conclusion: Don’t Get Played

The Musk-Trump “feud” isn’t about principles. It’s about attention. They throw insults to stir outrage, make headlines, and reinforce their brand personas. But behind the curtain, nothing changes. Their wealth grows. Their power stays intact. Their followers stay loyal. And the media machine spins on.

And while they argue in public, they both keep their tax exemptions, their government contracts, and their influence.

So next time you see a tweet or headline hyping up their latest squabble, pause. Ask yourself:

Who actually benefits from this?

Because it’s not you.