Elon Musk called for the impeachment of US President Donald Trump and announced the decommissioning of a vital SpaceX programme, accusing Trump&rsquo;s name being in the Epstein files, while also warning that Trump&rsquo;s aggressive new trade tariffs could trigger a recession by the second half of this year.
The statements came as the public feud between the world&rsquo;s richest man and US President escalated further.
&ldquo;The Trump tariffs will cause a recession in the second half of this year,&rdquo; Musk posted on his X platform.
&ldquo;If America goes broke, nothing else matters,&rdquo; he added.
The face-off between them sent shockwaves through the financial markets, with Tesla&rsquo;s stock plunging over 14% on Thursday (US time), erasing nearly $150 billion in market value.
Trump also said that the "easiest way" for the government to save money would be to "terminate" contracts and subsidies going to billionaire and former adviser Musk.
Musk replied: &ldquo;In light of the President&rsquo;s statement about cancellation of my government contracts, SpaceX will begin decommissioning its Dragon spacecraft immediately&rdquo;.&nbsp;
According to a report from US media outlet CNN, the Dragon spacecraft is important as it earlier enabled the return of the two NASA astronauts who got stuck on the International Space Station for nine months. Additionally, it is also crucial for transporting cargo and people to the International Space Station.&nbsp;
Space X said that the Dragon spacecraft is &ldquo;the only spacecraft currently flying that is capable of returning significant amounts of cargo to Earth.
Trump's threat came after Musk accused the US President of "ingratitude" and said he would have lost the election without him, after the billionaire donated more than $250 million to help elect him last year.
&ldquo;Oh and some food for thought as they ponder this question: Trump has 3.5 years left as President, but I will be around for 40+ years,&rdquo; posted Musk.
The breakup between the US President and the world's richest man is unfurling much like their relationship started &mdash; rapidly, intensely and very publicly.
Trump said he was "very disappointed" with Musk after the billionaire lambasted the President's signature bill of tax cuts and spending plans.
"Whatever," Musk wrote on his social media platform while responding to Trump in real time.
Musk bid farewell to Trump last week in a subdued news conference in the Oval Office, where he sported a black eye that he said came from his young son but that seemed to be a metaphor for his messy time in government service.
( With inputs from IANS)

Musk warns Trump’s tariffs will lead to a recession in the second half of this year

Musk Calls for Trump’s Impeachment, Warns of Recession

Musk warns Trump’s tariffs will lead to a recession in the second half of this year

June 6, 2025 | 10:51 IST