Chinese social media rallies behind Elon Musk amid Trump feud

Chinese social media users are casting Elon Musk as a heroic figure amid his escalating feud with President Donald Trump over the administration’s flagship spending bill.

State of play: The latest dispute intensified when Musk announced his plans to create a new political party  — the America Party — following the Senate passage of Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” this week. The legislation, which Musk called “insane,” is projected to add $3.3 trillion to the national debt. Trump responded by telling reporters his administration would “have to take a look” at deporting Musk and suggested “We might have to put DOGE on Elon,” referencing the Department of Government Efficiency that Musk formerly headed. Trump argued that Musk was angry about provisions removing electric vehicle incentives, saying “Elon would have to close up shop and head back home to South Africa.”

What they’re saying: Hours after the Senate approved the controversial bill on Wednesday, the hashtag #MuskWantsToBuildAnAmericaParty became a trending topic on Weibo, drawing over 37 million views. Users posted messages backing Musk, with one writing, “If Elon Musk were to found a political party, his tech-driven mindset could inject fresh energy into politics. The potential for change is significant — and worth watching.” Another user wrote, “Brother Musk, you’ve got over a billion people on our side backing you.” Interestingly, the pro-Musk discussions have continued on the heavily regulated social media platforms, indicating that officials may see potential benefits in Washington’s political turmoil.

The big picture: Musk’s support in China stems from his extensive business operations there, where Tesla operates its highest-volume manufacturing facility in Shanghai and earned $21.75 billion in 2023, accounting for 22.5% of global revenue. He has cultivated ties with Chinese Premier Li Qiang, while his mother, Maye Musk, enjoys celebrity status on Chinese social media. Still, Tesla faces growing competition from local brands like Xiaomi, whose YU7 electric SUV attracted 240,000 orders within 18 hours of launch, priced nearly 4% below the Model Y. Tesla’s Chinese market share has also dropped from a 2020 peak of 15% to 7.6% through May 2025.

The public spat comes as Trump considers cutting government contracts with Musk’s companies, which analysts warn could set U.S. space exploration back by decades.