Elon Musk Changed His Phone Number, Ghosted White House Officials After Trump Spat

Last Updated:July 16, 2025, 17:26 IST

Elon Musk cut off communication with House Speaker Mike Johnson after a clash with Donald Trump over a tax-and-spending package.

Elon Musk and Donald Trump engaged in a heated public exchange. (Image Credit: Reuters)

Elon Musk changed his phone number and cut off communication with House Speaker Mike Johnson following a heated clash with US President Donald Trump over sweeping tax-and-spending package- a confrontation that marked the collapse of Tesla CEO’s once-close relationship with the US President.

Mike Johnson revealed the breakdown during an interview on the latest episode of Pod Force One. Recounting the abrupt end to his text exchanges with the tech billionaire, Mike Johnson said he had sent Elon Musk a long message- only to later realize that it was going unanswered.

“His phone number changed, because after the blow-up, something happened," Mike Johnson said, adding, “I realized I was sending it out into the ether somewhere and he never read it."

Elon Musk’s dramatic exit from the White House followed his failed campaign to derail the One Big, Beautiful Bill Act- a massive fiscal package that he denounced as “pork-filled" and fiscally reckless. His criticism, centered on its impact on the national deficit, clashed directly with the Donald Trump administration.

Despite his abrupt disappearance from direct communication, Mike Johnson said he had continued reaching out to Elon Musk through third parties and expressed hope for reconciliation- between both himself and Elon Musk- and between Elon Musk and Donald Trump.

“Frankly, I think the president was of that mind as well," Mike Johnson said of Donald Trump, adding, “But there’s some tension there."

According to Mike Johnson, Elon Musk had been kept informed of the bill’s development for months. He said, “He knew for months we worked on this, and I was keeping him apprised. The final product maybe didn’t meet all of his expectations- particularly around electric vehicles and federal mandates- but there are other things as well."

Still, Mike Johnson maintained respect for Elon Musk’s intellect and achievements, saying, “Look, Elon is a genius. He does things I can’t even fathom. But one of his fields of expertise was not necessarily crafting legislation." Striking a conciliatory tone, Mike Johnson said,  “I’ve got nothing against Elon, obviously. I have great respect for what he’s done. I just want him to fully understand what we’re doing and remind him of the strategy- this is a long-term play."

White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles also addressed the Elon Musk- Donald Trump rupture in the same podcast episode, saying, “The president was very, very kind to him. Elon had so much to offer us… It was a great thing when it was a great thing and had a very, I think, a very troublesome ending."

Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)

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