Elon Musk has issued a measured response after President Donald Trump said he would consider reviewing the Tesla CEO’s citizenship status following a high-profile dispute over energy policy and the Senate’s “One Big Beautiful Bill.”
As The Gateway Pundit reported, during an interview with the Daily Mail on Tuesday, President Trump was asked directly whether he would consider deporting Musk back to South Africa — where Musk was born — following the billionaire’s criticism of the GOP’s landmark spending and tax bill.

Trump replied, “I don’t know. We’ll have to take a look.”
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Musk, who legally immigrated to the United States and is a naturalized U.S. citizen, responded to the remark in a brief post on X, formerly Twitter. “So tempting to escalate this,” Musk wrote. “So, so tempting. But I will refrain for now.”
So tempting to escalate this. So, so tempting. But I will refrain for now.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 1, 2025
The dispute began after Musk condemned provisions in the Senate’s $3.9 trillion reconciliation bill, which expands defense spending, maintains Trump-era tax cuts, and reduces taxes on tips and overtime pay while rolling back certain green energy subsidies.
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Musk posted over the weekend that the bill “will destroy millions of jobs in America and cause immense strategic harm to our country.” He added, “Utterly insane and destructive. It gives handouts to industries of the past while severely damaging industries of the future.”
The comments appeared to inflame tensions between Musk and the president, who has defended the bill as a centerpiece of his second-term economic agenda.
President Trump has also argued that Musk’s companies have benefited from massive federal subsidies and suggested the billionaire should not be criticizing legislation that reduces government dependence on green industry incentives.
The growing feud comes just days after President Trump posted on Truth Social, questioning whether Musk — who has received billions in government contracts and tax incentives through Tesla, SpaceX, and other ventures — should continue receiving such support under a Trump administration.

/ Mar 22, 2025; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Elon Musk and US Representative Jim Jordan during the Division I Men’s Wrestling Championship held at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
Trump’s suggestion that Musk could be reviewed for deportation marks a significant escalation in the ongoing disagreement between the two high-profile figures, both of whom have large followings and influence in political and business circles.
Musk has not posted additional comments on the subject since his initial response but has continued sharing content critical of the Senate bill.
While there is no legal path for a sitting president to revoke the citizenship of a naturalized U.S. citizen without a formal process, Trump’s comments reflect a growing divide between the White House and prominent members of the private sector over the future of energy and economic policy.
The “One Big Beautiful Bill” passed the Senate last week and is now awaiting action in the House of Representatives.
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