The relationship between President Trump and Elon Musk rapidly disintegrated on Thursday, fulfilling predictions of a messy breakup that the world’s most powerful man and its richest man had defied for months.

Trump told reporters in an Oval Office meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz that he was “very surprised” and “very disappointed” in Musk, who spent millions of dollars to help Trump get elected and served in his administration for four months but has since mounted a campaign against the president’s signature policy bill.

Musk responded on social media, claiming credit for Trump’s electoral victory last November.

It was a dramatic turnaround for the two men, who just days ago were together in the Oval Office as Trump presented Musk a ceremonial key to the White House.

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