SUMMARY

The article from The Economic Times, titled "From barbs to blows? 6 ways Donald Trump can harm Elon Musk," outlines the escalating feud between U.S. President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk, detailing potential ways Trump could negatively impact Musk's businesses and reputation.

The conflict, which intensified over Musk's criticism of Trump’s "One Big Beautiful Bill" (a tax and spending package), has shifted from policy disagreements to personal attacks, including Musk’s allegations about Trump’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein. Here are the six ways Trump could harm Musk, as summarized from the article:

THE 6 POINTS ARE

1. Cutting Government Contracts: Trump could target SpaceX and Tesla’s lucrative government contracts, such as NASA’s reliance on SpaceX for lunar missions or Tesla’s contracts with federal agencies, severely impacting their revenue.
2. Eliminating EV Subsidies: Trump’s proposed bill eliminates electric vehicle (EV) tax credits worth up to $7,500 for Tesla buyers, which could reduce demand for Tesla vehicles and hurt its market position.
3. Regulatory Crackdowns: Trump could push for stricter regulations on Tesla’s autonomous driving technology or SpaceX’s satellite launches, increasing operational costs and delaying projects.
4. Public Criticism and Market Impact: Trump’s public attacks on Musk could erode investor confidence, as seen in Tesla’s $150 billion market cap loss after a 14% share price drop on June 6, 2025.
5. Immigration Policy Restrictions: Trump’s potential tightening of H-1B visa programs could limit Musk’s ability to hire skilled foreign workers, critical for Tesla and SpaceX’s innovation-driven operations.
6. Personal Reputation Damage: Trump’s influence over his base could fuel smear campaigns against Musk, damaging his public image and potentially affecting his companies’ brand loyalty.

The article highlights how the fallout, marked by social media spats and Musk’s dramatic responses (e.g., briefly threatening to decommission SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft), has broader implications for Musk’s ventures and the political landscape.

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