Elon Musk vs. Donald Trump: Fans Recall Ryan Clark Incident After Robert Griffin III Asks for an Analogy

Two of the most prominent faces of the 2024 Presidential Elections—Donald Trump and his trusted advisor, Elon Musk—were thick as thieves for much of the past year. Trump had appointed Musk as his senior advisor and the de facto head of the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), tasked with slashing “wasteful federal spending.” Initially, the duo worked in perfect sync, with Musk allegedly cutting down on bureaucratic bloat.

But the alliance seems to be unraveling. No sooner had he left the administration after his tenure at DOGE ended that Musk started publicly slamming Trump’s new “Big Beautiful Bill.” Instead of cutting back, the bill significantly increased federal spending. Musk called it a “disgusting abomination” that would drive up the national debt.

Trump didn’t take the criticism lightly. He fired back, accusing Musk of being upset over the bill because it scrapped subsidies and mandates for electric vehicles, directly impacting Tesla’s bottom line.

Musk denied those claims, insisting his gripe was with “pork,” or wasteful government spending. But things quickly turned from civil to sour. Musk claimed credit for Trump‘s and the GOP’s 2024 victory, calling them “ungrateful.” He even posted a slanderous tweet alleging Trump’s name appeared in the Epstein files and that his economic policies would trigger a recession later this year.

Trump, never one to back down, took to Truth Social and declared that Musk had “gone crazy.” He followed that with a veiled threat, saying he might terminate government subsidies and contracts that are vital to Musk’s companies, particularly SpaceX and Starlink.

The feud has sparked a social media firestorm, with fans and commentators alike picking sides. Former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III (RG3) jumped into the mix, asking fans on X (formerly Twitter) to explain the Donald Trump-Elon Musk beef in terms of sports analogies, though he didn’t expect to become part of the analogy himself.

Many compared the fallout to RG3’s own feud with ESPN analyst Ryan Clark. Others likened it to Tyreek Hill praising his former quarterback, Patrick Mahomes, over his current one, Tua Tagovailoa.

A few even said the beef had shades of the iconic Shaquille O’Neal vs. Kobe Bryant rivalry—two alpha personalities who achieved success together but eventually imploded under the weight of ego and ambition.

A user commented,

So, what exactly sparked the beef between Robert Griffin III and Ryan Clark?

The Ryan Clark vs RGIII showdown

The feud became public when RG3 criticized Angel Reese for what he perceived as her resentment toward rival Caitlin Clark. His comments didn’t sit well with Clark, who took issue with a Black man attempting to downplay the experiences of a Black woman like Reese.

The former Steelers safety didn’t hold back. He fired back by saying that Griffin couldn’t truly understand the lived experiences of Black women, implying that his personal life lacked that connection because both of his marriages have been to white women.

Griffin didn’t take that lightly. He was furious that Clark dragged his wife, Grete, into the dispute. The former Heisman Trophy winner called out his ex-teammate for crossing a line and said it was completely inappropriate to involve his marriage and family in a professional disagreement.

Clark, however, insisted he never attacked Grete personally. He pivoted the conversation, calling Griffin one of the worst teammates he ever had, both on the field and in broadcasting. He even labeled him “phony,” claiming he had defended RG3 in the past when others were critical of his on-air behavior.

While Clark eventually apologized for referencing Griffin’s wife, he pointedly did not apologize to RG3 himself.

That said, the best way to describe the feud between Donald Trump and Elon Musk might be the infamous rift between Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant. The two NBA legends played together for eight years, winning three championships and dominating the league. But toward the end of their partnership, tensions rose and their relationship soured. It took time, distance, and maturity for things to settle down.

Similarly, Trump and Musk enjoyed a brief but powerful run of success, with their 130-day political alliance marking a high point for both men and their supporters. But now, the cracks are beginning to show, and their relationship appears to be unraveling. Still, like Shaq and Kobe, there’s a chance that cooler heads will prevail, and the situation could eventually de-escalate.