The unlikely alliance unraveled in real time, with Trump telling reporters in the Oval Office he was “very disappointed” in the tech mogul’s criticism of his spending bill, and Musk railing against the president on X.

It began with Musk complaining about the centerpiece of Trump’s legislative agenda, which the president at first took in stride. Eventually Trump let slip that he was disappointed in his former adviser, prompting Musk to unleash a flood of insults and taunts.

Elon Musk's time in the Trump administration has come to an end with a news conference in the Oval Office in which he and the US president defended the work of Doge - and vowed it would continue, even without Musk.