The Trump administration unleashed a series of disruptive and assertive actions this week, highlighted by a vitriolic public feud between President Trump and billionaire Elon Musk that culminated in threats of deportation and the formation of a new political party. The dramatic clash with Musk was part of a broader offensive that included the Supreme Court clearing the way for a mass reorganization of the federal workforce and the Justice Department launching a novel legal challenge against media fact-checking partnerships.
The week’s most explosive development began after Musk criticized a new administration policy on his social media platform, X. President Trump fired back on Truth Social, calling the billionaire a “failing globalist” and questioning his loyalty. The feud escalated when Musk announced he was committing $500 million to form the “America Party” declaring the two-party system a “broken duopoly.” The conflict reached a critical point when White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt, responding to questions at a press briefing, stated the administration would review “all options available to it under the Immigration and Nationality Act” for naturalized citizens deemed to be working against U.S. interests.
While the White House’s attention was on Musk, it secured a major victory at the Supreme Court. In a decision reported by outlets including NPR and Yahoo News, the court lifted a lower-court injunction, allowing the administration to proceed with its sweeping plan to reorganize the government. The move could lead to the layoffs of hundreds of thousands of federal employees across nearly two dozen agencies, a plan that had been previously stalled by legal challenges.
Rounding out the week, the administration opened a new front in its long-running battle with media and technology companies. The Department of Justice announced it had filed a Statement of Interest in a federal lawsuit, arguing that some coordinated fact-checking initiatives may violate antitrust laws. In a press release, Attorney General Robert M. Davies argued that when dominant platforms “form a cartel to decide what news is legitimate, they are engaging in a collusive gatekeeping.” The move was praised by the White House, with Press Secretary Amelia Thorne stating that the president believes a “handful of companies...should not have the power to collude and decide what news is acceptable for the American people.” The filing suggests that such partnerships could be treated as illegal group boycotts designed to suppress competition in the marketplace of ideas.
Additionally, the "Big Beautiful Bill" has officially been signed into law as of July 4th, 2025. The bill is expected to aid ~$3.4tn to the federal deficit over the next decade while delivering on several of President Trump's campaign promises such as solidifying the TCJA's provisions and providing tax exemptions for overtime work and tip wages.