President Donald Trump said Thursday that the "easiest way" for the government to save money would be to "terminate" contracts and subsidies going to billionaire Elon Musk, amid an escalating war of words between the commander-in-chief and the world's wealthiest man.

The Calm Before the Quake A few months ago, Musk and Trump were allies in their own way. Musk donated nearly $300 million to Trump’s 2024 reelection campaign. He donned a MAGA hat on stage and joined White House discussions on cutting bureaucracy via his "Department of Government Efficiency" (DOGE) initiative.