Searches For ‘Sell Tesla’ Up 372% As Donald Trump and Elon Musk Feud Goes Viral

According to Google data, searches for ‘sell Tesla‘ went up by 372% globally as of June 5th 2025, just days after Trump took to social media to publicly threaten to “terminate Elon’s governmental subsidies and contracts.”

The data also revealed that searches for ‘sell Tesla stock’ have gone up 1,493% since the feud began, as investors become wary of government action against the tech billionaire.

But how did it start? And what does it mean for the future of Tesla?

 

A Billionaire Bromance

 

Since the U.S election, Musk has been a huge supporter of Trump, donating millions to his campaign.

Once Trump was elected, Musk led DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) to cut government spending on federal employees and streamline operations. A huge part of DOGE’s aim was to decrease spending and reduce U.S debt – something which Musk believes the new bill actively undercuts – which he publicly announced on X.

 

A Public Clash

 

So how did it all start? Well, after months of mutual support, cracks in the Musk-Trump relationship started to show on June 3rd when Musk posted to X “I’m sorry, but I just can’t stand it anymore. This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination. Share on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong. You know it.”

The bill, named the ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ by the Trump administration, would provide tax cuts to U.S workers, but would add trillions to the U.S’s debt, which DOGE was trying to reduce.

The criticism quickly grew into a full on public battle, with Trump calling Musk “crazy” and threatening to cut federal ties to his companies, including SpaceX.

Musk responded by commenting that Trump would have lost the 2024 election without him, and even went one step further, mentioning that Trump’s name was included in the Epstein files.

But by that point, the damage had already been done.

Not only did the threat of cutting government ties cause the Tesla share price to take a hit, it also shows that investors may want to distance themselves from companies that they deem erratic or too political.

 

 

Consequences For Business

 

A spokesperson from Public.com, who first reported the search data, commented “As two of the most powerful men in the world go head to head, very publicly, it’s no surprise that their political and business ventures are going to be impacted, whether this is through the public selling their Tesla cars or their stock in the company.

“Both Donald Trump and Elon Musk have loyal fanbases and supporters and after the pair having been notoriously friendly, many of their supporters have been supporters of both men, meaning this feud will have massive consequences as supporters choose which billionaire to stand by.”

And it doesn’t look like the feud will finish anytime soon, as Trump told NBC that he had no interest in mending the relationship for now.

 

Why Is The Bill So Controversial?

 

President Trumps ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ has sparked a lot of debate, not just between himself and Musk but amongst economists too. Here’s why:

1. The bill introduces tax cuts which may be seen as popular by working people, but actually will cost the country an estimated $300 billion over just four years (Tax Foundation). This could send the U.S further into debt, which is already at $36.56 trillion.

2. The rules have been seen to make the tax system more complicated – making them hard to enforce by the IRS and even harder for lower and middle-income earners to use.

3. The bill includes tax cuts for certain industries but not others. For example, electric vehicles, sustainable energy and innovation-friendly policies have been left out – making it harder to boost innovation in these sectors.

Commenting on this, Public.com continued “Electric car owners should be wary of this feud and how it may affect any purchases they make. Costs could certainly increase and it could be Tesla owners that feel the brunt of this feud in the long term.”

In summary: the ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ – whilst pleasing some tax payers – spends a lot of money for what many, including Musk, believe will achieve little economic growth.

 

What Next For Tesla?

 

With Tesla shares riding the waves of this public feud, it’s unclear how the company will fare in the future.

For some, it may be a sign that investing in politically neutral companies is safer, for others, they may see the bill as an opportunity for growth.

Either way, we wait to see if Musk and Trump will make amends, or if this is the start of something bigger.