CNN’s conservative commentator Scott Jennings made a theatrical statement Thursday, June 5, 2025, by sticking his head in a trash bin during “The Lead with Jake Tapper” to show how Republicans feel about the escalating feud between President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk.
Jennings explained he would demonstrate what every Republican was experiencing before grabbing a nearby trash barrel and placing his head inside. He described the current situation as Republicans having their heads in garbage cans, characterizing this as the emotional state of everyone he knew at that moment.
The dramatic gesture came as the public dispute between Trump and Musk intensified over the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” Trump’s sweeping tax-and-spending proposal that Musk has denounced as a “disgusting abomination.”
The legislation, which passed the House by a single vote, would extend Trump’s 2017 tax cuts while adding $3.8 trillion to the federal deficit over the next decade, according to Congressional Budget Office estimates. The 1,000-page package includes $350 billion for border security and eliminates electric vehicle tax credits that benefit Musk’s Tesla company.
Musk, who spent nearly $300 million supporting Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign and led the Department of Government Efficiency until leaving his government role last week, has launched an offensive against the bill on his social media platform X. The Tesla and SpaceX CEO posted more than two dozen messages attacking the legislation and urging followers to call Congress to kill the bill.
Behind-the-scenes tensions had been building between Trump and Musk over several issues. Sources familiar with their relationship told Axios that Musk was frustrated at failing to win favorable treatment in the legislation despite his company spending at least $240,000 lobbying for electric vehicle tax credits.
Trump responded to Musk’s criticism during an Oval Office meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, expressing disappointment with his former ally. The president suggested Musk was upset about the removal of electric vehicle subsidies worth billions of dollars.
The dispute escalated dramatically on Thursday, June 5, when the two men exchanged increasingly personal attacks on social media. Trump posted on Truth Social that Musk was “wearing thin” and that he had asked him to leave, also claiming he took away the electric vehicle mandate. Musk retaliated with explosive and nasty allegations, claiming that Trump appears in files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
“@RealDonaldTrump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public. Have a nice day, DJT!” Musk posted on X.
The feud represents a dramatic reversal from their previously close relationship during Trump’s campaign and early presidency. Musk had been a near-constant presence in the White House, with his Department of Government Efficiency staff working throughout federal agencies to purportedly identify waste and inefficiencies.
The public split has created challenges for Republicans in Congress, who are trying to pass Trump’s priority legislation while managing the fallout from the high-profile dispute. Senate Republicans were already divided about the bill even before Musk’s campaign against it, with deficit hawks pushing for deeper spending cuts.
Jennings attempted to capture the broader Republican sentiment about the feud. After his demonstration, he warned that Democrats were benefiting from the Republican infighting and called for party unity. “Not gonna lie. It’s an ugly day and, you know, you hate it when your friends are fighting,” he said.
Trump has set a July 4th deadline for passing his legislation, meeting with Senate Majority Leader John Thune and calling senators individually to pressure them for quick action. The stakes remain high for Republicans heading into the midterm election season, as failure to extend the 2017 tax cuts would result in tax increases for many Americans.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt described Musk’s attacks as an unfortunate episode, stating that Musk was unhappy with the bill because it did not include policies he wanted.
