The fallout intensified when Musk criticized Trump’s economic policy, targeting a spending bill projected to raise the U.S. deficit by $3.8 trillion by 2034. Musk publicly remarked that such a bill couldn’t be both “big and beautiful,” indirectly mocking Trump’s language. Trump responded with disappointment, stating that Musk was well aware of the bill’s details and implying betrayal from someone he once considered a friend.

Musk swiftly denied Trump’s claim, insisting the bill had been rushed through Congress without his knowledge. Then, Musk escalated the conflict by tweeting a major allegation: that Trump’s name appears in the sealed Epstein files, hinting this was the reason for the files not being released publicly. This claim caused a stir and reignited public interest in Trump’s past ties to Epstein.

Although Trump’s name appears in the Epstein flight logs seven times, this alone does not prove wrongdoing. Records show that Trump had been acquaintances with Epstein for years, and even made troubling remarks about Epstein’s preference for young women prior to his criminal charges.

Footage and reports from the early 1990s show Trump and Epstein socializing at Mar-A-Lago. Witnesses describe the two men partying frequently and appearing close, with Trump often performing his signature dance during these events. Their long association has resurfaced amid renewed scrutiny, as the fallout between Trump and Musk continues to unfold.