US President Donald Trump and tech billionaire Elon Musk have reignited their bitter feud, with Mr Trump threatening to deport Mr Musk and strip federal funds from his businesses for criticising the president's flagship spending bill.
The world's richest person was Mr Trump's biggest political donor in the 2024 election, and became his inseparable ally during his first months back in the White House as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
But the Space X and Tesla boss is now threatening to turn his riches against Mr Trump, mulling a rival political party to challenge Republicans who voted for the president's "One Big Beautiful Bill."
The Republican-controlled US Senate passed tax and spending bill, signing off on a massive package that will enshrine many of his top priorities into law while adding $3.3trillion to the national debt.
The bill now heads back to the House of Representatives for final approval.
Watch: Trump warns Musk not to 'play that game' over comments on big beautiful bill
Mr Trump, 79, reacted to Mr Musk's comments as he headed to the opening of a new migrant detention center in Florida dubbed "Alligator Alcatraz".
"We'll have to take a look," he told reporters when asked if he would consider deporting Mr Musk, who has held US citizenship since 2002.
Mr Trump also signalled that he could take aim at the huge contracts and subsidies that Mr Musk's Space X rocket and Starlink satellite internet businesses receive from the US government.
"We might have to put DOGE on Elon. You know what DOGE is? DOGE is the monster that might have to go back and eat Elon," Mr Trump said.
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Mr Trump added later in Florida: "I don't think he should be playing that game with me."
In reply to a post on his X social network featuring Mr Trump's deportation comments, Mr Musk said: "So tempting to escalate this. So, so tempting. But I will refrain for now."
Shares of Tesla sank around 5% yesterday.
Mr Trump had made similar comments on Monday, saying Mr Musk was attacking the bill because he was annoyed that it had dropped measures to support the electric vehicles (EV) industry.
"Without subsidies, Elon would probably have to close up shop and head back home to South Africa," Mr Trump said on his Truth Social network.
Wearing MAGA baseball caps, Mr Musk was an almost constant presence at Mr Trump's side at one point.
The president returned the favour by promoting Tesla electric vehicles when protesters targeted them for Mr Musk's cost-cutting drive at DOGE.
But they had a huge public blow-up in May as Mr Musk criticised the spending bill and then left the government.
Mr Musk had kept a low profile in recent weeks but returned to the fray as the bill began its difficult path through Congress.
He has since posted a steady stream of posts against the bill on the X social network that he owns.
The billionaire's criticisms centre on claims that the bill would increase the US deficit.
He also accuses Republicans of abandoning efforts to place the United States at the front of the EV and clean energy revolution.
"All I'm asking is that we don't bankrupt America," he said on social media, accusing Republicans of supporting "debt slavery."
More worrying perhaps for Mr Trump is the way that Mr Musk is seeking to target vulnerable Republican politicians ahead of the 2026 US midterm elections.
Mr Musk had said he will set up his own political movement called the "America Party" if Mr Trump's bill passes and pledged to fund challengers against politicians who campaigned on reduced federal spending only to vote for the bill.
"VOX POPULI VOX DEI 80% voted for a new party," he said after launching a poll on the idea on X.
