Inside StoryShort-lived alliance between Donald Trump and Elon Musk appears to have come to a dramatic end.The big break-up: The president of the United States, Donald Trump, has parted ways with the richest man in the world, billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk.Once their friendship reaped rewards for both: Musk donated around hundreds of millions of dollars to Trump’s re-election campaign and the president created a role for Musk in his government.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3What has Musk accused Trump of in relation to the Epstein files?list 2 of 3Trump v Musk: How did we get here?list 3 of 3Trump announces second round of US trade talks with China next weekend of listBut political, or fiscal, differences soured the relationship, and what was once a mutually beneficial alliance deteriorated into an exchange of insults on social media.So, did Elon Musk’s position undermine US democracy?And do Donald Trump’s friendships and interests influence US policy?Presenter: Elizabeth PuranamGuests:Niall Stanage – Political analyst and White House columnist for The Hill newspaperDan Ives – Technology analyst and managing director of Wedbush SecuritiesFaiz Siddiqui – Author of, Hubris Maximus: The Shattering of Elon MuskPublished On 7 Jun 2025