President Donald Trump said billionaire Elon Musk would face “serious consequences” if he threw his support behind Democrats running against Republican backers of the so-called Big Beautiful Bill. Trump issued the threat in a phone interview with NBC on Saturday,

The staggering and exceedingly public rupture in the world’s most consequential and unprecedented partnership was a long time coming. But the surreal state of suspended animation that consumed Washington as President Donald Trump and Elon Musk traded escalating blows on social media obscured a 48-hour period that illustrated profoundly high-stakes moment for the White House.