The clash between President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk gained new contours on Tuesday (1st) ,. The comment came after Musk’s criticism of the White House budget bill ,.
Despite the provocation, Trump has no legal power to revoke Musk’s citizenship, nor to deport him. Born in South Africa, the owner of Tesla is a naturalized citizen of the United States, which guarantees him the same constitutional rights as a born citizen-except the right to apply for the presidency or vice presidency of the country.
Legally unfeasible
In the United States, citizenship removal can only occur through a judicial process of “denaturalization” and only in extreme cases, such as heinous crimes or fraud in the naturalization process. This measure is considered rare and politically delicate. Presidents have no authority to deport naturalized citizens, nor can they issue executive orders for this purpose.
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The attempt to discredit Musk for its foreign origin reflects the growing tension between the tycoon and the president, who were allies in the political and economic field. In recent months, Musk has distanced himself from Trump and began to openly criticize republican management, even suggesting the creation of a new political party of libertarian bias, inspired by the Argentine model led by Javier Milei.
Dispute reaches subsidies
In response to criticism, Trump threatened to cut billions into public subsidies for Musk companies such as Tesla, Spacex and Starlink. “I think we’ll have to put the doge [Departamento de Eficiência Governamental] Against Elon, ”said Trump during an interview by mentioning an alleged control body that could retaliate the entrepreneur.
Still, there are practical limits in this dispute, as musk companies play a strategic role in providing military technology, satellites and communication via Starlink, maintaining direct contracts with the US government. This federal dependence makes any extreme measure against the billionaire unlikely.
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New party?
Musk’s proposal to found a new party faces structural obstacles. The American bipartisan system is considered one of the strictest in global politics, with a strong concentration of power in republican and democratic parties. Parties such as the libertarian, which already exists, have minimal representation and never won relevant majority positions at the federal level.
Although Musk’s speech is echoed among installments of the electorate disappointed with traditional parties, the feasibility of a new political force remains remote. The billionaire, however, maintains influence on key sectors of US politics, economics and technology, which guarantees him visibility and bargaining power-even outside formal institutions.
