Trump-Musk Feud Erupts: Tesla Stock Plunges 15% as Former Allies Trade Epstein Accusations
Good morning! It's Saturday, 7 June. This is The Foreign Page, your daily portal into Mencari News's universe as well as our interpretation of the global scene and we’re covering the end of Bromance Musk-Trump alliance
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Trump-Musk Feud Erupts: Tesla Stock Plunges 15% as Former Allies Trade Epstein Accusations
A dramatic public feud erupted between President Donald Trump and Elon Musk on Thursday, transforming their once-close alliance into bitter acrimony over a Republican spending bill. The extraordinary social media battle reached new depths when Musk called for Trump's impeachment and accused the president of having connections to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, claiming this was why related files remained classified.
Trump retaliated by threatening to cancel federal contracts and tax subsidies for Musk's companies, mocking the Tesla CEO's recent black eye, and pulling his preferred NASA nomination.
The public showdown rippled across financial markets, with Tesla shares plummeting nearly 15% as investors reacted to the deteriorating relationship between the world's richest person and the U.S. president. What began as Musk's criticism of a spending bill he called a "disgusting abomination" escalated into deeply personal attacks, with Musk claiming credit for Trump's election victory and the president dismissing his former adviser as having "worn thin" at the White House.
The breakdown highlights how their partnership was built on mutual convenience rather than genuine ideological alignment, raising questions about future collaboration between the Trump administration and Musk's business empire.
Russia Launches Massive 407-Drone Attack on Ukraine, Kills 3 Emergency Responders in Kyiv
Russia conducted one of its most extensive aerial bombardments of the three-year conflict on Friday, launching 407 drones and 44 ballistic and cruise missiles across six Ukrainian regions in a nighttime assault that lasted several hours. The attack killed three emergency responders in the capital, Kyiv, who were working to help civilians during the strikes, according to Ukrainian officials.
Ukrainian air defences successfully intercepted approximately 30 cruise missiles and up to 200 drones, but falling debris sparked fires across multiple districts in Kyiv and caused power outages affecting more than 2,000 households.
The massive escalation came just hours after U.S. President Donald Trump suggested it might be better to let Ukraine and Russia "fight for a while" before pursuing peace negotiations, which represents a major departure from his previous appeals to end the conflict immediately.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the attack, stating, "Russia doesn't change its stripes," while his foreign minister emphasised the distinction between Ukraine's targeting of military facilities and Russia's strikes on civilian infrastructure. The assault also prompted Ukraine to launch counterattacks on Russian territory, with Ukrainian drones targeting airfields and military installations, highlighting the continued intensification of the conflict despite ongoing diplomatic efforts.
North Korea Successfully Refloats Capsized Destroyer After Botched Launch; Kim Jong Un Sets Repair Deadline
North Korea has successfully righted a capsized 5,000-ton destroyer and moored it at Chongjin port following a botched launch ceremony in late May that triggered a furious response from leader Kim Jong Un.
State media reported that the warship, described as a significant military asset, will undergo comprehensive restoration at a dry dock in neighboring Rajin port over the next seven to 10 days.
The incident, which Kim denounced as a "criminal act caused by absolute carelessness," resulted in the detention of at least four officials, including the vice director of the Workers' Party's munitions industry department.
The damaged vessel represents North Korea's second known destroyer and forms a crucial component of Kim Jong Un's broader naval modernization strategy aimed at expanding the military's operational range and nuclear strike capabilities.
South Korean and Western analysts assess that the destroyer was likely constructed with Russian technical assistance, reflecting deepening military cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow amid the ongoing Ukraine conflict. The warship belongs to the same class as North Korea's first destroyer unveiled in April, which experts consider the country's largest and most advanced naval vessel to date, equipped with anti-air, anti-ship, and nuclear-capable missile systems.
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