Vance expresses loyalty to Trump but says that he “understands” the frustration of Musk: NPR

Vice-president Vance says he is “loyal” to President Trump, but also expressed his praise for billionaire Elon Musk and described Musk’s criticism with regard to Trump’s budgetary bill as “understandable”.

Vance’s comments came to social networks and during An appearance in the podcast with the actor Theo von Posted on Saturday.

Vance weighed for a week when the Feud between Trump and Musk Climbing quickly and the vice-president seemed eager to mark out common ground. The interview would have I took place on Thursday, Von and Vance published on social networks that day of their conversation.

“My loyalty will still be with the president,” Vance in Von told. But he also described Musk as an “incredible entrepreneur” and added that “Doge was really good, this kind of effort to eliminate waste, fraud and abuse in our country was really good”.

DOGE is a controversial effort of costs and bureaucracy launched by the Trump administration, with Musk as a director. Last month, Musk announced His departure from the government, although the Doge will continue to operate.

Publishing Friday and early Saturday on the X social media platform, which he owns, Musk did not seem interested in finding common ground with Trump.

He castigated the bill on the republican budget supported by the president, arguing that the measure, adopted by the Chamber and now examined by the Senate would lead to unbearable debt for the United States government and taxpayers.

“The congress is bankrupt with America”, ” Musk wrote. He also suggested that his supporters could break up with Trump and the GOP, calling for the creation of a new political party.

“The people spoke. A new political party is necessary in America to represent 80% in the middle!” He said.

Publication on his own social media platform Truth Social, meanwhile, Trump defended his budgetary plan, which independent Analysts in the federal government say they cause a flambé of deficits During the next decade. “I don’t mind that Elon turns against me, but he should have done it months ago,” Trump wrote.

“This is one of the greatest bills ever presented in the congress,” he added. In other articles, Trump suggested Musk “I went crazy” And said “the easiest way to save money In our budget, billions and billions of dollars, consists in terminating the subsidies and government contracts of Elon. “”

Questioned by Von when the podcast appeared why Musk had broken the ranks so publicly with Trump on the expense bill, Vance said: “I get the frustration there.”

“I understand, as, it is a good bill, it is not a perfect bill. The process at DC, if you are a business manager, you are probably frustrated by this process,” said Vance.

Last July, NPR reported that Vance had taken importance Partly with the support of technological billionaires, including Musk.

But publish on X ThursdayVance said he thought Trump had “won the confidence of the movement he directs” and added: “I’m proud to stay next to him”.

Addressing Von, the vice -president said that he feared Musk’s personal attacks against Trump – calling for the dismissal of the president and binding Trump to Jeffrey EpsteinIn a tweet that was deleted later – would be difficult to come back.

“I hope that finally Elon will return to the fold. Maybe it is not possible now because he left so nuclear,” said Vance.

Speaking Friday at NPR Morning editionFormer Trump Advisor Steve Bannon Also expressed the opinion that the relationship between Musk and the Mag of Trump is permanently damaged.

“He crossed the Rubicon by this scandalous comparison with Epstein’s files, on the fact that President Trump should be charged, replaced by JD Vance,” said Bannon.

Speak with NBC News In an interview broadcast on Saturday, Trump said that Musk would face serious consequences if he supported democratic candidates in the next elections.

“He will have to pay very serious consequences if he does it,” said Trump.

Musk companies are counting strongly on federal contracts and subsidies.

The United States is turning to the Musk Space X company for a wide range of services. Musk was also Trump’s biggest campaign donor in 2024 and used his social media platform X as megaphone for conservative causes.

Speaking with Von, Vance recognized that the break between two of the most powerful men in the world could have large -scale implications:

“I think that if (musk) and the president are in a blood quarrel, above all, it will be bad for the country, but I don’t think it’s going to be good for Elon either.”

Vance also challenged Musk’s assertion, the president could be involved in the reprehensible acts linked to Epstein, who socialized with Trump in Florida and New York and later deceased by suicide in 2019 pending a federal trial On accusations of sex trafficking for children.

“Absolutely not. Donald Trump did nothing wrong with Jeffrey Epstein,” said Vance, adding, “it’s a total BS”