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The long-standing tension between President Donald Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk reached a public breaking point on Thursday. The president openly criticized Musk's sharp disapproval of the Republican policy bill, while Musk countered by asserting that Trump would not have won the election without his support.

"I'm very disappointed because Elon knew the inner workings of this bill," Trump expressed during a meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in the Oval Office. "I've helped Elon a lot."

The exchange marks a significant shift in the relationship between the world's richest man and the U.S. president who once welcomed him into his administration. Musk's tenure at the Department of Government Efficiency was marked by mutual praise early in Trump's second term. However, their relationship began to sour as Musk left the White House and Trump's focus shifted towards major spending legislation.

Musk's recent criticism of the GOP bill, which he termed a "disgusting abomination," appears to stem from the bill's removal of a tax credit designed to promote electric vehicle purchases. Trump elaborated, stating, "Elon's upset because we took the EV mandate, which was a lot of money for electric vehicles and they're having a hard time with electric vehicles and they want us to pay billions of dollars in subsidy. Elon knew this from the beginning."

Tesla, the largest electric vehicle manufacturer in the United States, has experienced declining sales amidst increased global competition and backlash from Musk's political involvement. Since stepping down from his government role last week, Musk announced he is dedicating his time to Tesla and SpaceX, among his other business ventures. Despite his efforts, Tesla's stock has fallen over 20% this year amid his criticism of Trump's bill.

Trump's recent comments represent his strongest rebuke yet towards Musk, who was once a top campaign donor and close adviser. Musk, who humorously called himself "first buddy," left the administration less amicably. During an interview with CBS, he expressed disappointment in the massive spending bill, arguing it would increase the budget deficit rather than decrease it.

In response to Trump's comments, Musk downplayed the significance initially but soon escalated his rebuttal, claiming Trump owed his election victory to him. He took to social media to express his views, insisting, "Without me, Trump would have lost the election, Dems would control the House and the Republicans would be 51-49 in the Senate. Such ingratitude."

Musk had previously invested over $250 million in Trump's last presidential campaign but recently stated his intention to significantly reduce political spending in future elections. "I think I've done enough," he told Bloomberg.

This conflict has also affected Musk's relationship with House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., who noted that Musk had significantly shifted his stance regarding the bill and did not respond to his recent call. Johnson mentioned he planned to reach out to Musk again.

The controversial bill, narrowly passed by the House, aims to extend Trump's 2017 tax cuts, eliminate taxes on tips and overtime work, and increase funding for immigration enforcement and military, while cutting Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. It also proposes to raise the debt ceiling by $4 trillion. According to a Congressional Budget Office estimate, the legislation would add $2.4 trillion to the national debt over the next decade.

Although Trump recently commended Musk's leadership at the Department of Government Efficiency, where Musk pushed for significant financial and job cuts, their relationship has evidently deteriorated. Despite leaving his position, Trump suggested, "Elon's really not leaving. He's going to be back and forth, I think... It's his baby and I think he's going to be doing a lot of things. But Elon's service to America has been without comparison in modern history."