Inevitably, Elon Musk and Donald Trump have fallen out again. It’s not quite as intense as last time, but it seems like the rot is quite deep.
Elon is still pretty peeved over the sprawling Republican spending plan, which is currently being amended in an overnight Senate session, and which Trump has branded the “big beautiful bill” – mainly because 940 pages long.
(In one delightful delaying manoeuvre on Sunday night, Democrats forced the clerk of the Senate to read out all 940 pages, a process which took 16 hours)
Meanwhile, Trump is off to visit a migrant detention camp called “Alligator Alcatraz”.
And we reveal how you too can smell just like Donald Trump, for the low, low price of £181.
Everything is fine. Here’s what you need to know about the last 24 hours in Trump World.
1. Daddy and Mummy are arguing again
On the face of it, Musk’s objections to the bill are to do with public spending. While it will slash funding for healthcare and food support for poorer Americans, it includes a raft of tax cuts and huge increases to spending on ICE immigration officers to push through his mass deportation programme, plus more cash for defence and energy production.
Despite the cuts to programmes which regular Americans will definitely notice, it’s estimated the bill will add $3.3 TRILLION to the national debt.
Musk tweeted that politicians (like, for example, Donald Trump) who had campaigned on cutting public spending and then backed the bill were “liars” and should “hang their heads in shame.”
He said any Republican who voted for it after promising cuts would “lose their primary next year if it is the last thing I do on this Earth.”
Yikes.
2. Trump has a different theory
Trump, on the other hand, has a different theory for why Musk is upset – electric car subsidies.
“Elon Musk knew, long before he so strongly Endorsed me for President, that I was strongly against the EV Mandate,” he wrote on Truth Social.
“It is ridiculous, and was always a major part of my campaign. Electric cars are fine, but not everyone should be forced to own one.
“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.
“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? BIG MONEY TO BE SAVED!!!”
3. Trump then issued a thinly-veiled threat to Musk…
Trump spoke to reporters before setting off to Florida’s Everglades to visit the so-called “Alligator Alcatraz” migrant detention camp.
But he was still seething about Elon.
“He’s upset that he’s losing his EV mandate. He’s very upset about it,” Trump told reporters, wearing a red baseball cap with “GULF OF AMERICA” written on it.
“He could lose a lot more than that, I can tell you. Hey, Elon can lose a lot more than that.”
He went on: “We might have to put DOGE on Elon…DOGE is the monster that might have to come back and eat Elon…
“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 one day a hydrogen car.”
4. Wait, go back. Alligator what now?
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has opened a migrant detention camp, which has been nicknamed “Alligator Alcatraz”.
We took a quick look at that one on tk, if you want a preview.
And last night, Karoline Leavitt described it thus: “The only way out is a one-way flight. It is isolated and surrounded by dangerous wildlife … This is an efficient and low cost way to help carry out the largest mass deportation campaign in American history.”
Asked whether the dangerous animals were a “design feature,” Leavitt said: “When you have illegal murderers and rapist and heinous criminals in a detention facility surrounded by alligators, yes, I do think that’s a deterrent for them to try to escape”
5. You too can smell like Trump
Donald Trump launched two new fragrances on his Truth Social account last night.
One for men, one for women.
That’s right, the sitting President of the United States is hawking perfume on his personal social media account. While in office.
Both fragrances, branded “Victory 45-47” – in a way that implies he won 46 as well, which he did not – come in a commemorative bottle with a very flattering gold-coloured statuette of (presumably) Trump on the lid and his signature on the base.
The limited edition 100ml version with the statue costs an eye-watering $249 (£181) – though you can save $100 if you buy two.
A more budget-friendly edition, featuring an illustration of Trump looking manly with his fist in the air – in a pose reminiscent of the one he did after he was shot at, but not actually that picture, presumably for copyright reasons – and bearing the slogan “FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT” can be yours for just $199 (£145).
6. The latest from Tammy Bruce
For those unfamiliar, Tammy Bruce is the press secretary for the State Department. And she’s something of a fan of the President – variously praising Trump to the highest heavens, and warning people not to second guess his greatness at press conferences.
And last night she described him, from the podium, as “the most powerful man in the world, who is saving this country and the world.”
7. Trump is not happy with his phone provider
Trump had a big old rant at phone company AT&T.
“I’m doing a major Conference Call with Faith Leaders from all over the country,” he wrote on Truth Social.
“And AT&T is totally unable to make their equipment work properly. This is the second time it’s happened. If the Boss of AT&T, whoever that may be, could get involved – it would be good. There are tens of thousands of people on the line.”
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8. Trump might have the Democrat candidate for mayor of NYC deported because of his rap lyrics
End of last week a guy called Zohran Mamdani won the Democratic primary for Mayor of New York – making him the most likely candidate to win November’s election.
It’s fair to say that by American standards, Mamdani – a naturalised US citizen – is a leftie.
He supports free city buses, a rent freeze – and wants the city government to operate five grocery stores to drive down food prices.
His platform includes universal childcare, the construction of 200,000 new affordable homes and a $30 minimum wage by 2030.
Of course, Trump HATES him.
In his tarmac rant on his way to Alligator Alcatraz, he called him a “communist” – an epithet that has lost a little of its power in the States over recent years.
And last night at the press briefing, Leavitt was asked if Trump planned to deport Mamdani.
“I haven’t heard him say that. I haven’t heard him call for that,” she initially replied.
But Fox News’ (who else) Steve Doocy had another go, saying: “There’s this congressman Andy Ogles, who has called on Attorney General Pam Bondi to explore denaturalisation proceedings because he thinks Mamdani could have misrepresented or concealed support for terrorism based on rap lyrics Mamdani wrote in 2017. Does Trump think that’s a worthwhile use of the Attorney General’s time?”
Leavitt fell for it: “Well, I’ll let the President speak to that. I’ve not seen those claims but surely if they are true it’s something that should be investigated.”