In a candid moment Thursday, former President Donald Trump opened up about the surprising turn in his relationship with tech mogul Elon Musk. Speaking during a press event where he signed legislation to overturn California’s electric vehicle mandate, Trump said he was taken aback that Musk—whom he once considered a close friend—never expressed concern about his plans to scrap the EV requirement.

Trump told reporters that he was “surprised” Musk continued to endorse him, despite his administration’s aggressive efforts to block states from eliminating gasoline-powered vehicles. The set of congressional resolutions Trump signed effectively dismantled California’s plan to halt the sale of gas-only vehicles by 2035.

Among the actions taken was the reversal of a Biden-era EPA waiver, which aimed to ensure that at least 80% of vehicles sold in California would be electric by 2035. Additional resolutions targeted the expansion of zero-emission heavy-duty trucks and rolled back California’s low-nitrogen oxide rules for heavy-duty and off-road vehicles.

Musk’s About-Face in Trump Rift

Musk, who resigned last month from his post as head of the Department of Government Efficiency—known as DOGE—had reportedly reassured Trump: “As long as I’m on the same plane as everybody else, we’re going to do good. We make a better product.”

Trump recounted his response: “I said, ‘That’s very cool. It’s very good.’ That was my answer. After that, he got a little bit strange… over much smaller things.”

The once-strong relationship between the two high-profile figures has soured in recent weeks, devolving into personal insults and a growing war of words.
The tension escalated after Musk left DOGE and harshly criticized Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” branding it a “disgusting abomination.”

This marks a sharp departure from their camaraderie during Trump’s campaign and the early days of his second term, when Musk was brought on as a special government employee tasked with leading major cost-cutting initiatives across federal agencies. According to government ethics data, Musk was allowed to work for the federal government no more than 130 days per year—a window that closed on May 30.

While in government, Trump frequently came to Musk’s defense amid criticism and protests targeting Tesla owners due to DOGE-related cuts. He even displayed his red Tesla outside the White House and praised Musk for a successful SpaceX mission. The two were also seen ringside at a UFC event with CEO Dana White.

But last week, Trump claimed Musk was upset over the cancellation of EV tax credits and the administration’s refusal to appoint Musk’s NASA pick, Jared Isaacman—a move allegedly tied to Isaacman’s past donations to Democratic candidates.

In response, Musk lashed out, attempting to connect Trump to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein and warning that Trump’s tariffs could trigger a recession.

Ireland’s Socialist Party and Dublin MEP Joe Higgins have declared their support for the Thomas Cook occupiers, with a press release on Higgins’ official webpage saying

You are clear ahead

The High Court order for workers to end their occupation and the threat of Garda action is a disgrace….The trade union movement must mobilise to prevent the Gardaí being used against these workers. Supporters and trade union activists should come to the offices to support the workers’ action and defend the occupation against any attempt to force them out.

Diving into UX and UI design

Socialist Party members have been leafletting Dublin over the weekend promoting demonstrations in support of the Thomas Cook employees. The smaller Socialist Workers Party has also declared its support and conducted demonstrations for the occupiers.