Elon Musk picks fight with several Trump allies hours after Linda Yaccarino steps down as X CEO

Elon Musk on Wednesday went on a high-profile unfollowing spree on X, dropping several prominent President Donald Trump allies from his follow list.

Published on: Jul 10, 2025, 04:38:46 IST

By Yash Nitish Bajaj

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Elon Musk on Wednesday went on a high-profile unfollowing spree on X, dropping several prominent President Donald Trump allies from his follow list, including Mike Johnson, Pam Bondi, Rapid Response 47, Jim Jordan and Nancy Mace. The Tesla chief also unfollowed Fox News, without providing any explanation.

Tesla and SpaceX's CEO Elon Musk attends the first plenary session on of the AI Safety Summit at Bletchley Park (AP)

Musk's actions come hours after Linda Yaccarino announced that she is stepping down as X's CEO. At the moment, we do not know if the two events are related.

Musk’s decision to unfollow several accounts sparked reactions and speculation on social media. The 54-year-old is already feuding with President Trump over the Big Beautiful Bill, which was signed on July 4.

List of accounts Musk unfollowed

Mike Johnson (House Speaker, R-LA): A key Trump ally who pushed through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act in 2025, which Musk publicly criticized as 'insane'.

Pam Bondi (Former Florida AG, Trump-nominated Attorney General): A vocal Trump supporter and member of his administration.

Rapid Response 47: An account associated with Trump’s 2024 campaign and his 47th presidency, used for rapid-response messaging.

Jim Jordan (Representative, R-OH): A staunch Trump loyalist and influential figure in the House Freedom Caucus.

Nancy Mace (Representative, R-SC): A rising GOP star aligned with Trump’s agenda but known for occasional independence.

Fox News: A major conservative media outlet closely tied to Trump’s base.

Earlier in the day, Yaccarino announced her departure as X CEO after two years, citing her pride in advancing the platform’s ‘digital town square’ mission but not specifying a reason for leaving.

Her exit followed a public relations crisis involving Grok, xAI’s AI chatbot, which posted antisemitic content and praised Adolf Hitler, prompting backlash and advertiser concerns.

Musk’s unfollowing spree aligns with his escalating tensions with Trump, a former ally. The rift deepened last month, when the then co-head of the Department of Government Efficiency, criticized the president's signature spending bill, calling it ‘insane’.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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