The public dust-up between U.S. President Donald Trump and Elon Musk was so extreme that Russia felt bad enough to offer the billionaire political asylum.
Everybody on the internet watched with rapt attention as the two men openly traded barbs over the Trump-supported spending bill working its way through Congress. The Tesla CEO spent big to get Trump reelected in 2024. He indicated on X that he finds Trump’s appreciation for that lacking.
Trump, on the other hand, said he believes Musk’s resentment stems from him not getting his way on several policy matters. Most often mentioned is a tax credit for electric vehicles that helps support Tesla’s bottom line.
Russia offers Musk political asylum
The fight is messy and could come along with consequences for both Trump and Musk. And that’s where Russia comes in. An official told state TV that while Musk should be fine, Russia could offer him political asylum if he should ever need it.
“Russia, of course, could provide it,” said Dmitry Novikov, who is identified as a deputy chairman of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs.
What does the internet think about all this?
Of course, it’s not clear whether this was said seriously or in jest. That’s where Reddit’s r/WorldNews comes into play.
One person asked, “Is this an SNL skit? Sounds ridiculous.”
A second person wrote, “The writers at SNL are throwing their hands in the air right now and their scripts with them.”
A third joked, “Idea? Straight man skit where Elon and Trump work together to solve all the country’s problems and everyone is happy.”
Another user said this could be terminal Trump and Musk’s happy alliance. “This will hurt Trump a lot,” they wrote.
Are Musk and Trump done for good?
Based on what Trump told reporters in the Oval Office during a May 30 press conference, things aren’t looking good. “Elon and I have a great relationship,” he said. “I don’t know if we will anymore. I was surprised, because… we had a wonderful sendoff. He said wonderful things about me.”
The back-and-forth that followed over the last week points to no. So much so that the internet erupted with memes about the pair’s divorce. And trust, J.D. Vance was not spared in the battle.
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