An exhaustive timeline of Elon Musk and Donald Trump's possibly co-dependent situationship.

US President Donald Trump and Elon Musk — billionaire slash former "special government employee" — were never destined to be just business associates.

Theirs was a bromance — a romance born through memes, tweets, and mutual delusion steeped in power. Once a critic of Trump, Musk became such a fixture of the latest administration he dubbed himself "First Buddy".

Indeed, recalling Trump's rise and re-election, one imagines Musk — not First Lady Melania — standing by the president's side.

But the honeymoon is well and truly over.

The pair have broken up in spectacular fashion and Musk is enemy number one after calling for his former friend's impeachment.

So, where did it all go wrong?

Here's a timeline of their relationship, featuring the moments you didn't want to remember, but can't look away from.

Trump-Musk row explodes. Post continues after video.

2016: From enemies to friends.

Cast your mind back to November 2016 when the US election entered its final days; Trump was going head-to-head against Hillary Clinton, and Musk chose his fighter.

On November 4, Musk told CNBC he didn't think Trump was fit to run the US, and added that Clinton's environmental and economic policies were "the right ones".

"He doesn't seem to have the sort of character that reflects well on the United States," he states.

Trump would win the election four days later.

A happier moment between the pair in March 2025. Image: Getty.

No harm, no foul. Musk's criticism quickly became water under the bridge.

Come December 14, President-elect Trump invited Musk and other CEOs to a tech summit at Trump Tower. The gathering included the likes of Jeff Bezos of Amazon, Timothy D. Cook of Apple and more.

Musk is appointed to a future economic advisory council alongside Travis Kalanick, Uber's CEO.

A seat at the table? Musk ate it up.

This is the beginning of something not unlike a professional situationship.

2017: From friends… back to enemies.

The first few months of 2017 passed in a flurry of reciprocal tweets. They weren't exactly besties, but there's respect. Trump called Musk "one of our great geniuses," which is one of the highest honours in Trump-speak.

Musk joined multiple White House councils: business, manufacturing and science.

But trouble was brewing.

In June 2017, when Trump pulled the US out of the Paris Climate Accord, Musk announced he would leave all of Trump's councils. The breakup was public, with Musk taking to what was then known as Twitter.

"[I] am departing [all] presidential councils. Climate change is real. Leaving Paris is not good for America or the world," Musk wrote.

Trump didn't seem to notice, or respond.

2018–2020: The long-distance phase.

Two years passed, and the pair took some space from each other. Musk focused on SpaceX, Tesla stock prices, and tweeting.

Trump focused on his presidency.

Occasionally, there were moments of flattery, where Trump would praise SpaceX launches.

2022: The rekindling.

In May 2022, Musk pulled away from the Democrats, citing that they had "become the party of division and hate," and pledged to give his support to the Republicans. He shared that he had previously voted for Clinton in 2016 and former President Joe Biden in 2020.

But the road to rekindling is paved with a speed bump or two.

In July, Musk said he wouldn't support Trump should he re-run for the presidency. A very public spat unfolded over the next several days.

The highlights: Trump called the Tesla CEO a "bulls**t artist" at a rally in Alaska and suggested his companies would be "worthless" without federal backing. Musk suggested in a Tweet that Trump should "hang up his hat and sail into the sunset."

Yikes.

In October, Musk purchased Twitter, now known as X, and reinstated Trump's account, which had been "permanently suspended" in the wake of the January 6 assault on the US Capitol.

2024: Trump and Musk's golden age.

In July 2024, Musk officially endorsed Trump's presidential campaign following the assassination attempt at Bethel Park, Pennsylvania.

"I fully endorse President Trump and hope for his rapid recovery," Musk wrote, likening him to the "tough" Theodore Roosevelt.

The billionaire joined Trump on the campaign trail, with the Washington Post reporting he spent roughly $288 million USD.

Musk officially endorsed Trump following the July 2024 assassination attempt. Image: Getty.

Trump secured victory in November. Musk was praised in his victory speech and stated: "A star is born". Trump also declared Musk "an amazing guy." More praise, much love.

On November 12, 2024, President-elect Donald Trump announced the creation of the "Department of Government Efficiency" (DOGE) with Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy appointed to lead it.

The announcement came via an official statement where Trump declared that these "two wonderful Americans will pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies."

The acronym DOGE is a deliberate nod to Musk's favourite cryptocurrency, Dogecoin, which saw its value surge by more than 150 per cent following the announcement.

Though not an official government department (as such entities must be established through an act of Congress), DOGE operated in an advisory capacity with the goal of identifying and eliminating what Trump called "massive waste and fraud" in government spending. It had a completion deadline of July 4, 2026.

2025: The bombshell breakup.

All seemed to be going well, but recent weeks have been plagued with rumours of tension.

Whispers began during the farewell ceremony that marked the end of Musk's 130-day stint as head of DOGE. The tech billionaire sported a black eye in the Oval Office and has been at the centre of White House poaching claims.

Musk sported a black eye as he was farewelled as head of DOGE. Image: Getty.

CNN reported that Katie Miller — a top adviser, spokesperson for DOGE and wife of Stephen Miller (President Trump's chief policy head) — had left the White House to work for Musk in the private sector.

Then on Thursday, what began as a disagreement over a Republican mega-bill quickly escalated into a full-blown public feud.

The former allies traded increasingly personal attacks on their respective social media platforms after Musk publicly opposed Trump's domestic policy priorities.

Trump threatened to cancel billions in government contracts with Musk's companies, including SpaceX and Tesla, while Musk claimed he was instrumental to Trump's election victory and made unsubstantiated allegations connecting Trump to Jeffrey Epstein, calling for his impeachment.

The explosive conflict has had immediate financial consequences, with Tesla's stock plummeting and billions wiped from Musk's net worth. This dramatic fallout marks a stunning reversal for a relationship that had seemed solid.

But this relationship was never about friendship and respect.

It was one of mutual validation, public clout, financial gain — and keeping their names trending.

This was never a love story. This is a story about wealth and power.

Feature image: Getty.