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Musk says Trump appears in Epstein files and $150bn wiped off Tesla’s value as row between them explode | US News

Elon Musk has indicated that Donald Trump is mentioned in documents associated with the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.

This revelation adds to the ongoing public feud between the two figures, suggesting a significant breakdown in their relationship.

In a post on X, Musk remarked: “@realDonaldTrump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public.”

“Mark this post for the future. The truth will emerge.”

Musk did not provide any evidence to substantiate his claim. Sky News has reached out to the White House for a response.

Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida with Jeffrey Epstein in 1997. Pic: Getty Images
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Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida with Jeffrey Epstein in 1997. Pic: Getty Images

Epstein died by suicide in his jail cell in August 2019 while awaiting trial on charges of sex trafficking minors.

Jeffrey Epstein. File pic: New York State Sex Offender Registry via AP
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Jeffrey Epstein. File pic: New York State Sex Offender Registry via AP

Trump in previously released Epstein documents

Donald Trump has been mentioned in previously released documents regarding Jeffrey Epstein.

Other notable figures include former president Bill Clinton, Prince Andrew, magician David Copperfield, and Michael Jackson.

In 2016, one accuser claimed to have spent several hours with Epstein at a Trump casino; however, she did not report meeting Trump or accuse him of any wrongdoing.

Trump once described Epstein as a “terrific guy” but later stated they had a falling out.

Musk’s latest allegations about the Epstein files play into conspiracy theories suggesting that sensitive information held by the government remains unreleased.

In another post on Thursday, Musk criticized Trump’s tariffs, asserting they “will lead to a recession in the latter half of this year.”

Musk shared a post calling for Trump’s impeachment and questioned if it was “time to create a new political party in America that truly represents the 80% in the middle.”

He also stated that SpaceX would start decommissioning its Dragon spacecraft “immediately” following Trump’s threats to revoke government contracts with Musk’s companies.

Dragon is currently the only U.S. spacecraft capable of transporting crew to and from the International Space Station.

This conflict has had financial repercussions for Tesla, which saw a drop of approximately $150 billion (£111 billion) in value, closing down 14.3% for the day.

President Donald Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk talk with reporters near Tesla vehicles on the South Lawn of the White House Tuesday, March 11, 2025, in Washington. (Pool via AP)
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President Trump has replied to Musk’s criticisms regarding his tax bill. Pic: AP.

This situation follows the president’s expression of disappointment with Musk after the entrepreneur publicly criticized Trump‘s tax legislation.

Trump suggested that Musk, a former supporter and advisor, may miss being in government and might be suffering from “Trump derangement syndrome”.

He added: “I’m very disappointed in Elon. I’ve assisted him a lot.”

In a post on Truth Social, the president stated: “Elon was ‘wearing thin,’ I asked him to leave, and I revoked his EV Mandate that forced everyone to buy Electric Cars that nobody else wanted (which he knew I was going to do for months!), and he just went berserk!”.

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Why doesn’t Musk like Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill’?

On Tuesday, Musk labeled the president’s tax and spending bill “outrageous” and a “disgusting abomination” – just days after stepping down from his role directing the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

The bill, featuring multi-trillion-dollar tax cuts, was passed by House Republicans in May and has been termed a “big, beautiful bill” by the president. Conversely, Musk refers to it as the “big, ugly bill”.

FILE PHOTO: Elon Musk listens to U.S. President Donald Trump speak in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., February 11, 2025. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File Photo
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Musk claimed responsibility for Trump’s election victory. Pic: Reuters.

Shortly after the president conveyed his disappointment in Musk, the SpaceX founder responded.

“False,” he tweeted on X.

“This bill was never presented to me, and it was passed in the dead of night so quickly that almost no one in Congress could even read it!”

In another critical post on X, Musk took credit for Trump’s election success.

He stated: “Without me, Trump would have lost the election, Democrats would control the House, and Republicans would be 51-49 in the Senate.”

This came after Trump told reporters that the Tesla CEO was unhappy with the electric vehicle incentives being discussed in the Senate, which could be reduced.

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Last Thursday, Musk announced on X that his time serving as a “special government employee” was nearing its conclusion.

Before this information was made public, Musk’s father told Sky News that his son was “not a very good politician”.

Nevertheless, Errol Musk mentioned in an interview with Gillian Joseph on The World that there was “no rift between Elon and Donald Trump”.