Photo taken from: Wikimedia Commons
During a press conference at the White House on Tuesday, July 1, 2025, former President Donald Trump responded to Elon Musk's criticism of the spending package known as the "One Big Beautiful Bill." Trump said: “We’ll have to see” when asked if he would consider deporting the South African-born tycoon, now a US citizen.
Also He mentioned that he could order the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to investigate the subsidies that Musk's companies receive, such as Tesla and SpaceX, noting that “without that aid, I would probably have to close and return to South Africa.”
How did the conflict arise?
The conflict arose when Musk criticized the Senate bill on the X network, Calling it "insane" and responsible for massive deficits, he threatened to launch a new political party if it passed. President Trump accused him of profiting from subsidies and threatened not only to investigate him but also to revoke those benefits.
Musk has been a US citizen since 2002, so deporting him would require a denaturalization process, which is only possible if fraud in his naturalization is proven. Removing citizenship requires judicial proceedings; a unilateral act by the president is not enough.
Although the threat has a political and symbolic overtone, it marks a significant rupture between two influential figures who were once allies.
The confrontation between Trump and Musk, after having been collaborators, is now at a crossroads of public statements and threats. While the words generate media attention, deportation would be legally unfeasible, according to experts, given the constitutional framework that protects citizenship.
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