The timing was no coincidence. On July 3, Congress passed President Donald Trump’s signature legislation, the so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill,” a sweeping package that includes massive spending cuts, the end of clean energy subsidies, and controversial changes to social safety net programs. Trump is expected to sign the bill on July 4.

This week, Trump has said Musk would have to "close up shop and head back home to South Africa" if he halted government subsidies to his companies, and then later added that his administration would "have to take a look" at deporting Musk.

A public feud between President Donald Trump and his on-again, off-again ally, billionaire Elon Musk, reignited this week after an apparent truce lasted less than a month.