House GOP Maintains Loyalty to Trump Over Musk

The much-analyzed social media feud between President Donald Trump and Elon Musk has done little to the unity of the Republican Party, Politico reported on Friday.

Despite Thursday night's back-and-forth on X between the two men, House Republicans have affirmed their loyalty to the president. What began as a slow-burn disagreement about Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act versus Musk's concern about the national debt quickly descended into personal attacks.

Things took an even more serious turn when Musk posted: "Time to drop the really big bomb: @realDonaldTrump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public. Have a nice day, DJT!"

While many Republicans may share Musk's concern regarding the ballooning federal deficit, they aren't willing to abandon the president. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green, R-Ga., who chairs the DOGE subcommittee, said Musk's colossal donations to Trump don't matter in the end.

"America voted for Donald Trump on Nov. 4, 2024 — every single vote mattered just as much as the other," Greene said in a brief interview. "And whether it was $1 that was donated or hundreds of millions of dollars, the way I see it, everybody's the same."

"It's President Trump, not President Musk," said another GOP lawmaker who requested anonymity.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., reminded reporters that while the country would benefit from Trump and Musk reaching a reconciliation, that would have no bearing on where his loyalty lies.

"Do not doubt, do not second-guess and don't ever challenge the president of the United States, Donald Trump," Johnson said. "He is the leader of the party. He is the most consequential political figure of this generation and probably the modern era. And he's doing an excellent job for the people."

Rep. Tim Moore, R-N.C., tempered the feeling many conservatives had while witnessing the public and at times juvenile dispute.

"I think it's unfortunate," Moore said. "But Donald Trump was elected by a majority of the American people."

Even those few House Republicans who voted against Trump's bill ultimately stood by the president in one of his most awkward hours. Rep. Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, who joined Rep. Tom Massie, R-Ky., in opposing Trump's bill, knows Trump won't back down.

"He does not have a flight mode — he's fight, fight, fight … and he's been pretty measured," Davidson said of the president. "I think Elon Musk looked a little out of control. And hopefully he gets back and grounded."