President Donald Trump reiterated a sharp warning to Elon Musk while taking questions from members of the press outside Florida’s newly opened immigration facility, nicknamed “Alligator Alcatraz.” When asked whether Musk’s criticism of Trump’s sweeping spending and border security bill could sway Republican votes, Trump dismissed the concern before turning his attention directly to Musk.

“DOGE is gonna look at Musk, and if DOGE looks at Musk, we’re gonna save a fortune. I don’t think he should be playing that game with me,” Trump said. His remark referred to the Department of Government Efficiency, the federal agency Musk previously led before stepping down earlier this year. The implication was clear: Trump is prepared to turn the very regulatory agency once shaped around Musk’s tech-driven cost-cutting philosophy directly against him, if Musk continues to publicly oppose the bill.

This was not the first time Trump issued such a threat. In a Truth Social post the night before, Trump said, “Perhaps we should have DOGE take a good, hard look at this? BIG MONEY TO BE SAVED!!!” while accusing Musk of relying on government subsidies to keep his companies afloat. The combined comments mark a stark escalation in their relationship, signaling that in Trump’s administration, even former allies may find their own creations used as leverage against them.