House Speaker Mike Johnson revealed that Elon Musk abruptly cut off communication with him—changing his phone number and ignoring multiple outreach attempts—after a heated dispute over the GOP’s sweeping tax-and-spending package, the New York Post revealed.

“I sent him a long text message, and then his phone number changed,” Johnson told Pod Force One host Miranda Devine in a new episode released Wednesday. “I realized I was sending it out into the ether somewhere.”

The breakdown in communication came amid Musk’s increasingly public opposition to the so-called “One Big, Beautiful Bill Act,” a Trump-backed legislative centerpiece that Musk condemned as fiscally reckless and “pork-filled.” The clash not only fractured Musk’s once-close relationship with Johnson, but also appears to have derailed his alliance with President Donald Trump.

Just days after the bill was signed into law on July 4, Musk announced the launch of a new political vehicle—the centrist “America Party”—signaling a challenge to both Democrats and Republicans in 2026. Trump, never one to let slights slide, lashed out on Truth Social, calling Musk’s behavior a “TRAIN WRECK” and branding the idea of a third party “ridiculous.”

“It was a great thing when it was a great thing,” said White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles on the podcast, reflecting on Musk’s former ties with the Trump administration. “And [it] had a very troublesome ending.”

According to Johnson, Musk was well aware of the bill’s structure and had been in the loop for months as Republicans crafted the sweeping legislation. “He generally knew what we were doing, and we talked about it,” Johnson said. But in the final days, the Tesla and SpaceX CEO soured on key provisions—especially those concerning electric vehicle policy and federal mandates.

Despite Musk’s abrupt departure from the GOP fold, Johnson struck a conciliatory tone. “Look, Elon is a genius,” he said. “But one of his fields of expertise was not necessarily crafting legislation, right?”

The House Speaker admitted he still holds out hope for reconciliation. “I’ve got nothing against Elon, obviously,” he said. “I have great respect for what he’s done. I just want him to fully understand what we’re doing… This is a long-term play.”

Johnson added that Republicans remain focused on long-term deficit reduction, noting plans to introduce rescission packages that would roll back previously approved federal spending.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)