Here’s what happened this week during Trump’s 20th week in office
President Donald Trump and SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk found themselves embroiled in a public feud this week, just days after Musk’s farewell press conference at the White House. Musk had recently concluded his tenure as a special government employee with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) on May 30, and wasted no time in criticizing Trump’s latest tax and spending package, which he dubbed the “big, beautiful, bill.”
Musk took issue with the bill, calling it a “disgusting abomination” due to reports that it would significantly increase the federal deficit. In response, Trump fired back, stating that Musk opposed the bill because it eliminates an electric vehicle tax credit that benefits companies like Tesla. Trump claimed that Musk had previously been supportive of the bill until he learned about the cut to the EV mandate.
In a meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Trump expressed his disappointment in Musk, stating that the Tesla CEO had a deep understanding of the bill but suddenly developed an issue with it. Musk quickly responded to Trump’s remarks, calling for the removal of “disgusting pork” from the bill and refuting Trump’s claim that he had been briefed on the measure.
The public feud between the two continued to escalate, with Musk asserting that Trump owed his 2024 election victory to his support. Trump, on the other hand, accused Musk of going “CRAZY” over the EV credit cuts and declared that Musk was “wearing thin.”
Amidst the feud, Chancellor Merz of Germany met with Trump at the White House to discuss the ongoing war in Ukraine. While Merz emphasized the need for the U.S. to play a pivotal role in ending the conflict, Trump suggested that allowing the parties involved to continue fighting might be necessary.
Additionally, Trump spoke with Chinese President Xi Jinping to discuss trade negotiations between the U.S. and China. The call, which lasted approximately one and a half hours, focused primarily on trade and resulted in a positive outcome for both countries. Trump extended an invitation for Xi and his wife to visit the U.S., while Xi reciprocated with an invitation for Trump and the first lady to visit China.
The week’s events underscored the complexities of international relations and the challenges of navigating trade agreements and conflicts. As the public feud between Trump and Musk played out, global issues such as the war in Ukraine and trade negotiations with China remained at the forefront of diplomatic discussions. As the political landscape continues to evolve, it is clear that tensions and disagreements between world leaders will persist, shaping the course of international relations in the years to come.
