James Johnson
As tensions between Donald Trump and Elon Musk explode into a digital spat, ‘Today’ anchor Savannah Guthrie and others call out the drama for its juvenile tone — while deeper political and personal rifts simmer beneath the surface.
The escalating feud between two of the world’s most prominent and polarizing figures — former President Donald Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk — is sparking commentary from all corners of media and politics. But it was Today co-host Savannah Guthrie who perhaps summed it up best on June 6, quipping live on air:
“To just use TikTok language, it’s giving 7th grade girl.”
Guthrie, 53, couldn’t hide her disbelief as she and her co-anchor Craig Melvin discussed the spectacle playing out between the former allies. The comment, laced with Gen Z slang, earned laughter from Melvin and agreement from Meet the Press anchor Kristen Welker, who replied, “Savannah, you hit the nail on the head.”
From Allies to Adversaries
What began as a mutually beneficial relationship between Trump and Musk has now dissolved into a messy war of words across social media platforms — Trump from his Truth Social megaphone and Musk via X (formerly Twitter).
The falling out hit a public peak on June 5, when Trump reportedly told ABC’s Jonathan Karl that Musk is “a man who has lost his mind” and that he had no interest in speaking with him, despite Musk’s alleged attempts to reconnect.
According to Karl, “Elon wants to talk to him. He’s not ready to talk to Musk.”
Meanwhile, Musk has shown no signs of backing down. Using archived screenshots of Trump’s past tweets, he mocked the former president’s reversal on spending priorities and attacked what he called “a disgusting abomination” — referring to Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill,” a massive spending initiative Musk believes undermines his efforts to make the government more efficient during his recent tenure as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
“The Girls Are Fighting”
Guthrie isn’t alone in noting the theatrics. Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez joined in on the commentary during a June 5 interview, saying:
“Oh man, the girls are fighting, aren’t they?”
AOC explained that the fallout was unsurprising, given the towering egos involved.
“This breakup, we’ve been seeing a long time coming. But we’ll see what the impacts are of it legislatively.”
Indeed, the rift isn’t just personal. Musk criticized changes to the electric vehicle (EV) mandate, claiming they counteract billions in potential savings. During a June 5 Oval Office press conference, Trump fired back.
“He had no problem with it. All of a sudden he had a problem, and he only developed the problem when he found out that we’re going to have to cut the EV mandate,” Trump said.
“Elon and I had a great relationship. I don’t know if we will anymore.”
Musk Drops a Bombshell
Taking the feud to a darker level, Musk shocked many by invoking the long-controversial Jeffrey Epstein files. He posted:
“Time to drop the really big bomb: @realDonaldTrump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public. Have a nice day, DJT!”
While Trump’s name has indeed appeared in Epstein-related documents — notably flight logs, where he is listed seven times — no direct implication of wrongdoing has emerged. Many individuals on Epstein’s flights were not tied to his criminal actions. Still, Musk’s post marked a sharp escalation, injecting a new level of intensity into the public spat.
A Spectacle of Power and Pettiness
What was once a strategic alliance — Trump’s political might and Musk’s entrepreneurial innovation — has now disintegrated into a public spectacle, with TikTok-style jabs, scandal hints, and press room rebuttals. Guthrie’s cutting remark encapsulates a broader sentiment: for all their global influence, the feud between Trump and Musk is playing out like a schoolyard squabble.
The deeper political implications remain to be seen, but one thing is clear — the bromance is over, and both men seem determined to win the breakup.
