Friday, June 6 | By Jonathan Easley |
Trump tries to move on amid Musk clash fallout
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PRESIDENT TRUMP says he's moving on from his nasty feud with Elon Musk, a day after the U.S. president and world's richest man gripped Washington and the world with their lacerating insults and threats. In a series of interviews, Trump sought to change the story, focusing on his agenda bill in Congress, talking up Friday's solid jobs report and pointing to the stock market rally. The rally was driven in part by a surge in Tesla shares, which had plunged at the onset of the Trump-Musk feud. "I'm not even thinking about Elon," Trump told CNN's Dana Bash in a phone interview. "I won't be speaking to him for a while I guess, but I wish him well," he added. However, even Trump's dismissals came with some pointed barbs. Trump told ABC News that Musk had "lost his mind." "He's got a problem," Trump told CNN. "The poor guys' got a problem." There were early media reports about White House aides scrambling to set up a call between Trump and Musk, but it does not appear the two men will speak directly to clear the air. On Thursday, their social media beef reached a fever pitch when Musk alleged Trump had ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and Trump threatened to kill government contracts for Musk's businesses. Musk also mused about a third-party to challenge Trump, and said the president never would have been elected if not for him. Musk on Friday extended a bit of an olive branch, replying "true" to a post on X saying they needed to "make peace for the benefit of our country." Still, the bad blood lingers. The White House said Trump plans to either give away or sell his Tesla. And Musk posted on X, saying he'll "be around for 40+ years" after Trump leaves office. Congressional Republicans lamented the nasty break up. "I hope they reconcile," said Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.). "I believe in redemption." Still, Johnson and most Republicans put the blame squarely on Musk. "Do not doubt and do not second guess and don't ever challenge the president United States, Donald Trump," Johnson said. "He is the leader of the party, he's the most consequential political figure of this generation, in probably the modern era, and he's doing an excellent job for the people." Even if Trump and Musk bury the hatchet, the rupture is likely to resonate for some time on the right, which is torn between a deep skepticism of Silicon Valley and enthusiasm for the new breed of Libertarian-styled tech leaders. Trump's former adviser Steve Bannon, who warned Trump against partnering with Musk from the start, declared "war" on Musk, while calling on Trump to retaliate by nationalizing Musk's Space X and Starlink companies. |
TRUMP AGENDA BILL SPARKED IMPLOSION |
The personal nature of the insults obscured the fact that it was a disagreement over spending and debt in the Trump agenda bill that first sparked the fight, with Musk railing against the GOP's "big, beautiful bill" over forecasts it will add trillions to the national deficit. "I don't mind Elon turning against me, but he should have done so months ago," Trump posted on Truth Social. "This is one of the Greatest Bills ever presented to Congress." Trump and his administration have cast Musk's criticism as sour grapes stemming from the bill's elimination of electric vehicle subsidies, which are utilized by Tesla. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News's Sean Hannity that Musk leaving the White House to return to running Tesla was behind his criticism of the bill. "The only difference…is Elon went back to his companies," Leavitt said. "And, as a businessman, he has a right to speak for his companies. But as president, President Trump has a responsibility to fight for this country." Musk denies this, posting on X that he'd gladly give up the subsidies if the GOP would abandon its "pork barrel spending." Regardless, Musk's opposition mirrors criticism from GOP fiscal hawks in Congress at a fraught time for Trump's agenda bill. The Hill's Alexander Bolton writes: "Problems are multiplying for Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) and other Senate negotiators in their bid to pass legislation to enact President Trump's agenda by July 4." In addition to debt concerns, debate is raging among Republicans over spending cuts to Medicaid, Medicare and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. A compromise to lift the the cap on state and local tax deductions appears to be in peril. Senate Republicans can only afford three defections, and there are at least two hard no votes at this point, with Sens. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) saying they won't vote for the bill at current spending and debt levels. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), who voted for the bill last month, has flipped to a no vote, narrowing the margin in the House if the reconciled package is sent back to the lower chamber. |
💡Perspectives: • The Guardian: The inevitable Trump-Musk feud is pathetic. • Sasha Stone: Hell hath no fury like an Elon scorned. • MSNBC: John Thune has one month to save Trump's agenda. • BIG: On Steve Bannon's nationalize SpaceX. • The Hill: Trump just doesn't get principled people like Musk. |
Kilmar Abrego Garcia will return to the U.S. after being imprisoned in El Salvador. Garcia, who was deported to his home country despite an immigration court ruling he must not be returned there over safety concerns, will face criminal charges in the U.S.
The Supreme Court has handed the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) two major victories in its legal battle over efforts to reshape the federal bureaucracy.
The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to allow it to resume dismantling the Education Department after a lower court judge blocked the efforts. California Gov. Gavin Newson (D) met with actor Jon Voight, who serves as one of President Trump's emissaries to Hollywood, about reviving the film industry in Los Angeles.
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US, China schedule trade talks
| U.S. officials will meet with their Chinese counterparts in London on Monday for the next round of trade talks, President Trump said Friday. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer will represent the Trump administration amid a fragile truce in which the U.S. and China have temporarily agreed to lower tariffs. Trump spoke with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday, saying the two leaders "straightened out" a lingering disagreement over whether China had violated the truce. In a Treasury Department report released Thursday, the U.S. declined to officially label China as a currency manipulator, but accused Beijing of hiding information related to its exchange rate policies. "Moving forward, Treasury will use all available tools at its disposal to implement strong countermeasures against unfair currency practices," Bessent warned. Trump's former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin labeled China a currency manipulator in 2019 for the first time since 1994. MEANWHILE… The U.S. added 139,000 jobs in May, slightly outperforming expectations of 125,000. The jobless rate held steady at 4.2 percent, showing the economy is holding steady despite uncertainty over tariffs. Trump on Friday re-upped his attacks on Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, who has steadfastly refused to lower borrowing costs over fears of tariff-driven turmoil. "If 'Too Late' at the Fed would CUT, we would greatly reduce interest rates, long and short, on debt that is coming due," Trump posted on Truth Social. "Biden went mostly short term. There is virtually no inflation (anymore), but if it should come back, RAISE 'RATE' TO COUNTER. Very Simple!!! He is costing our Country a fortune. Borrowing costs should be MUCH LOWER!!!" |
Here's who's talking Sunday... NewsNation's "The Hill Sunday": Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Rep. Sarah Elfreth (D-Md.); U.S. Chamber of Commerce official Neil Bradley. CNN's "State of the Union": Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) and Ron Johnson (R-Wis.). CBS's "Face the Nation": National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett; Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas). Fox's "Fox News Sunday": Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought, Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) and Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas). NBC "Meet the Press": Sens. James Lankford (R-Okla.) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.). |
© Alex Brandon, Associated Press |
ICE arrests under Trump top 100,000
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U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has made more than 100,000 arrests so far during President Trump's second term, according to internal government data obtained by CBS News. That includes more than 4,000 arrests on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week, up from an average of 660 during Trump's first 100 days in office. ICE is holding about 54,000 people in detention facilities across the U.S., as the Trump administration seeks additional funds from Congress to enact mass deportations. MEANWHILE… Mohamed Sabry Soliman, the Egyptian national accused of an antisemitic attack on the Jewish community in Boulder, Colo., faces 118 criminal charges, including attempted murder. Soliman, who used a flamethrower and Molotov cocktails against people marching in support of hostages held by Hamas, came to the U.S. on a visa that expired in 2023. Efforts by law enforcement officials to deport Soliman's family have been halted by a judge and are pending a hearing. ELSEWHERE… A federal judge temporarily paused Trump's proclamation to block visas for foreign students planning to attend Harvard University until a hearing can be held later in June. Harvard is suing over Trump's action. • House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) subpoenaed former President Biden's White House physician to appear for a deposition later this month, as Republicans ramp up their investigation into Biden's mental and physical health from his time in office. Comer accused Dr. Kevin O'Connor of failing to comply with his initial request for a transcribed interview, according to CNN. O'Connor claimed "physician-patient privilege" in declining the request, according to Comer. • Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem is ending the Transportation Safety Administration's (TSA) "Quiet Skies Program," saying it's costly, ineffective and leveraged against political opponents. The Hill's Sarah Fortinsky and Rebecca Beitsch write: "The once-secret program launched with the goal of monitoring potential security threats by 'unknown or partially known terrorists.' Through the program, undercover federal air marshals would observe passengers' behavior. This can include watching how close they stand to the boarding area, how often they use the bathroom and any behavioral tics such as sweating or twitching. The program has faced scrutiny from Democrats and Republicans alike in recent years, with many expressing concerns about potential civil liberty violations." Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard was briefly placed on the watch list last year. • Russia launched a new round of drone and ballistic missile strikes against Ukraine on Friday after promising to retaliate against Kyiv for its recent offensive. |
💡Perspectives: • The Hill: Progressives shouldn't be surprised by antisemitic violence. • The Hill: Trump is right, a smaller NSC is actually a good thing. • The Hill: Qatar's US influence strategy goes deep. • Freddie deBoer: AI hype and the tech slowdown are symmetrical. |
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