Why Trump’s constant attacks and his sniping with Elon Musk helps him and keeps the media scrambling

Donald Trump is relishing all this, flaming every target in sight – or trying to put out fires in Los Angeles – as a president who loves being at war. 

Elon Musk, clearly missing the spotlight, is using X as a weapon, calling for his former pal's impeachment – but deleting his tweet tying Trump to Jeffrey Epstein in what might be viewed as an apology. 

Gavin Newsom is all fired up, daring Trump's border czar to arrest him and accusing the president of inflaming the situation by dispatching the National Guard over his objections. 

TRUMP BORDER CZAR RESPONDS TO NEWSOM'S 'ARREST ME' CHALLENGE AS CALIFORNIA RIOTS OVER ICE RAIDS

The media are eagerly drinking from the Trump fire hose in the greatest, most entertaining breakup since Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni were denouncing each other. But several journalists were injured covering the violent L.A. protests, even as they reported that the vast majority of demonstrators are peaceful. 

And for me, it meant a crazy hour of television. 

We made lots of last-minute changes on "Media Buzz," but the biggest one involved ABC correspondent and anchor Terry Moran. I was tapping out the script on my phone during commercial breaks. 

For reasons I'll never be able to fathom, Moran posted a scathing attack on White House domestic policy chief Stephen Miller, calling him a "world-class hater." He also put Trump in the same category. 

LIBERALS, ANTI-TRUMP FIGURES BASH ABC FOR SUSPENDING TERRY MORAN OVER SOCIAL MEDIA RANT

On Maria Bartiromo's show, which airs before mine, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Moran should be suspended or fired. Shortly after we went off the air, ABC suspended Moran, saying he had violated company standards. I’ll never fathom why he blew up his career.  

You can't overcover a public meltdown like this – Trump now saying Musk had "worn thin" and he'd asked him to leave – but journalists have a high-minded justification for the low-rent sniping. The president's entire agenda is wrapped up in the not-so-beautiful bill, including border funding, tax cuts, food stamps and trimming the Medicaid rolls. 

The measure passed the House by a single vote because a number of hard-line Republicans agree with Musk that it's a "disgusting abomination" which, at a minimum, would boost the deficit by $2.4 billion over 10 years. 

But Trump is like a movie studio mogul who simultaneously moves from one sound stage to the next. And that is a challenge to journalists who race to keep up–but also boosts ratings as he constantly taking questions from the reporters and producers he also denigrates. It’s a love-hate relationship, but lately, mostly hate.

BOLD MOVE TO KEEP AMERICANS SAFE FROM ‘TERRORISTS’ IS BASIS FOR US TRAVEL BAN FOR SOME AFRICAN NATIONS

Trump issued a travel ban on 12 countries, mostly in the Middle East and Africa. Big story.

Trump brought Kilmar Abrego Garcia back to the U.S., after saying it couldn’t be done, and the mistakenly deported Salvadoran will face charges of human trafficking of illegal migrants – months after the Supreme Court ordered his return.

Trump is battling elite law firms, many of which are caving and agreeing to provide up to $125 million in free services rather than lose access to classified material that would cause an exodus of clients. Big story.

Trump backed off on criticizing Vladimir Putin after that incredible Ukrainian drone strike decimated a third of the Russian fleet, thousands of miles away. Now he says he may walk away from a war in which Putin has no conceivable interest in peace. Big story.

ZELENSKYY DISMISSES TRUMP'S CLAIM THAT RUSSIA WANTS PEACE, SAYS HE KNOWS PUTIN 'MUCH BETTER'

Trump issued a wave of controversial pardons, especially one for a man who committed fraud by stealing from his employees, which came after his mother, a big-time GOP donor, paid $1 million to get face time with the president at a Mar-a-Lago fundraising dinner. Now he avoids a jail term and having to make over $4 million in restitution to his victims. Big story.

Trump is freezing funds for Harvard and investigating the Harvard Law Review. Big stories.

SUBSCRIBE TO HOWIE'S MEDIA BUZZMETER PODCAST, A RIFF ON THE DAY'S HOTTEST STORIES

Trump has ordered an investigation of Joe Biden and the undisputed coverup of his mental decline, arguing that his actions could be overturned if top aides were making the decisions. Huge story. But the coverage has been muted, in part because the press doesn’t take it seriously and Democrats don’t want to fuel any story that involves more visibility for Biden.

This nonstop gusher may deflect criticism that Trump is profiting from the presidency by selling meme coins and other items that once would have prompted an uproar. 

By the time you read this, the president may have made news on several other controversial subjects. It’s a strategy that helps him and, in many ways, the media that are always scrambling to keep up.

Trump warns of ‘serious consequences’ if Elon Musk funds Democrats

President Donald Trump warned on Saturday that there would be "serious consequences" for Elon Musk if he were to fund Democratic candidates. The president made the remark during a phone interview with NBC News.

"If he does, he’ll have to pay the consequences for that," Trump told NBC News. However, according to the outlet, Trump did not detail what the consequences would be.

The president also told the outlet that he has no interest in repairing his relationship with the Tesla founder and CEO. When asked if he thought his relationship with Musk was over, Trump reportedly told NBC News, "I would assume so, yeah." Trump also apparently has "no intention" of speaking with Musk — which is what he told Fox News Chief Political Anchor Bret Baier.

Trump and Musk have been engaged in a heated feud that has rapidly escalated in a matter of days. The spat began when Musk criticized the Trump-backed "Big Beautiful Bill" after his time with the administration ended.

"I’m sorry, but I just can’t stand it anymore. This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination," Musk said in a Tuesday post on X. "Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong. You know it."

Musk later had two explosive posts on X, both of which are now deleted. In one, Musk accused Trump of being in files related to late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Then, he agreed with a post calling for Trump's impeachment and suggested that Vice President JD Vance take charge.

In one of his posts criticizing the bill, Musk argued that the bill "more than defeats all the cost savings achieved by the DOGE team at great personal cost and risk."

On Friday, Trump spoke with Baier and told him that "Elon’s totally lost it." That same day Trump posted on Truth Social that Musk should have turned on him "months ago."

"I don’t mind Elon turning against me, but he should have done so months ago. This is one of the Greatest Bills ever presented to Congress. "This puts our Country on a Path of Greatness. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!"

Musk endorsed Trump after the then-candidate was nearly assassinated in Butler, Pa., during a campaign rally. The two seemed to become fast friends, with Musk eventually agreeing to join the Trump administration and lead DOGE.

Musk jokes about reconsidering stance on Big Beautiful Bill after Schiff’s praise

Elon Musk appeared to jokingly reconsider his stance on the Big Beautiful Bill after a California Democrat came to his defense.

Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., wrote on X that "I can't believe I'm saying this – but [Elon Musk] is right." However, that seems to be the last point on which the two agree. They both object to the Big Beautiful Bill, viewing it as full of pork. Musk opposes the bill because he believes it raises government spending too much, while Schiff objects to what he calls its "far-right" content, which he describes as "dangerous."


REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS STAND FIRM AGAINST MUSK'S 'KILL THE BILL' ASSAULT ON TRUMP'S AGENDA

Musk fired off a response rejecting Schiff’s alleged praise of the tech billionaire’s position on the bill.

"Hmm, few things could convince me to reconsider my position more than Adam Schiff agreeing with me!"

On May 30, Musk’s time with the administration came to an end, and he seemed to leave things on good terms. President Donald Trump thanked Musk for his work with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and gave him a symbolic "key to the White House" as a parting gift. 

Following his departure from the White House, Musk said he was looking forward "to continuing to be a friend and adviser to the president." However, things took a sharp turn as a feud between Trump and Musk quickly heated up after the Tesla founder began publicly criticizing the Big Beautiful Bill. 

INSIDE THE MUSK-TRUMP FALLOUT

After the legislation passed the House, Musk said that the "massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination. "Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong. You know it."

Musk’s criticisms received mixed reactions from Republicans, with some — such as Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, and Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky. — agreeing with him. Meanwhile, House Speaker Mike Johnson said he was "surprised" by Musk’s reaction and claimed the two of them had a good discussion about the bill.

Trump and Musk then began slugging it out on their respective social media platforms — X and Truth Social — as well as TV. The president told reporters in the Oval Office that he was "very disappointed" with Musk and claimed that the former DOGE head knew what was in the bill, something that Musk denied. 

TRUMP NOT INTERESTED IN TALKING TO MUSK: 'ELON'S TOTALLY LOST IT'

The heated exchange led to two explosive tweets, both of which were later deleted. In one post, Musk claimed Trump was mentioned in files relating to Jeffrey Epstein, the deceased sex offender and disgraced financier. In his other post, Musk endorsed a message that called for Trump’s impeachment and said that Vice President J.D. Vance should take over.

While it’s unclear whether Trump and Musk will reconcile, for now it seems unlikely. Trump told Fox News chief political anchor Bret Baier that he was not interested in talking to Musk and that "Elon’s totally lost it."

WATCH: Republicans rally behind Trump, continue to support Musk amid ‘big, beautiful’ brawl

A "big, beautiful" brawl erupted on social media Thursday as President Donald Trump and Elon Musk aired their grievances for all to see after months of working together to cut government waste. 

House Republicans rallied behind the president and continued to support Musk when discussing the fallout with Fox News Digital.

"Obviously, I have President Trump's back. I don't think that he should be impeached. Do I think that he was on the Jeffrey Epstein island? I don't think so," Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., said, referring to Musk calling for Trump's impeachment and suggestiong Trump was "in the Epstein files."

Despite her defense, Luna admitted Musk is not a "terrible person," and both men have made "great contributions" to the Republican Party

FETTERMAN DISSES DEMS FOR SUDDENLY EMBRACING MUSK AMID TRUMP FALLOUT

"I assure you he crossed the line on what he said about the sitting president of the United States today," Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, said of Musk's allegations about Trump. 

'GONE TOO FAR': GOP LAWMAKERS RALLY AROUND TRUMP AFTER MUSK RAISES EPSTEIN ALLEGATIONS

But Roy joined Luna in defending Musk's contribution to cutting government waste through the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). 

"The bottom line is, we have a job to do. Elon is doing a great job in terms of the rescissions in terms of the DOGE cuts they identified, and I don't disagree with him about our need to go find more spending cuts. I don't. But you know, guys, keep it in the lines," Roy added. 

Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., praised Trump Thursday for saving the country. 

"What's broken apart can be put back together, but you've got two strong personalities," Norman said of Trump and Musk. 

Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn, dismissed the men's social media brawl, telling Fox News Digital, "They're the two biggest dogs in the pound. They're going to fight."

"It's going to settle down at some point," Rep. Burgess Owens, R-Utah, added. 

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt attributed Musk's tirade to Trump's bill, which is focused on working- and middle-class tax relief and not benefiting Musk and his companies enough.

"This is an unfortunate episode from Elon, who is unhappy with the One Big Beautiful Bill because it does not include the policies he wanted. The president is focused on passing this historic piece of legislation and making our country great again," Leavitt said.

In the first of several posts targeting the bill, and then Trump directly, Musk said, "I’m sorry, but I just can’t stand it anymore. This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination. Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong. You know it."

Fox News Digital's Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report. 

Fetterman disses Dems for suddenly embracing Musk amid Trump fallout

Maverick Democratic Sen. John Fetterman dissed members of his own party Thursday for suddenly backing Elon Musk during his feud with President Donald Trump. 

Democrats have found an unlikely ally in Musk this week, given his public rejection of Trump's "big, beautiful bill" and a subsequent call for Trump's impeachment. 

The president has championed the legislation as fulfilling his key campaign promises, including border security, American energy production and tax cuts. 

The megabill is under consideration by both a Republican-led White House and Congress. But it has faced hiccups in the Senate this week as Republicans, including some who helped pass the bill through the House, have indicated they do not support the bill in its current form. Every House Democrat voted against the bill. 

ELON MUSK WARPATH AGAINST TRUMP'S 'BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL' RATTLES HOUSE GOP

The national debt is at $36,214,501,400,213.64 as of June 5, according to the latest numbers published by the Treasury Department.

GOP SENATORS EXPRESS 'CONCERNS,' 'SKEPTICISM' OVER TRUMP'S SPENDING BILL AFTER MUSK RANT

Amid the setbacks, Musk has thrown a wrench into the Republican's reconciliation process through a series of fiery posts on X, the platform he bought in 2022. And Democrats were quick to coalesce behind Musk's rejection of the bill, seizing on the GOP's intraparty conflict despite their outright rejection of Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) this year. 

In the first of several posts targeting the bill, and then Trump directly, Musk said, "I’m sorry, but I just can’t stand it anymore. This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination. Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong. You know it."

Fetterman, who has built a reputation for bucking his own party on issues like immigration and support for Israel, was quick to call out the inconsistency of his fellow Democrats Thursday. 

"The Dems, we've been dumping all over Musk and vandalizing Teslas or whatever, and now, suddenly, we might be more back into him," Fetterman said. 

Democrats began staging protests at Tesla dealerships early into Trump's second term. Tesla vehicles and dealerships have also been targeted this year in a string of violent attacks against the company, another business owned by Musk. Trump's Justice Department labeled the attacks "domestic terrorism."

And while the Pennsylvania Democrat said Musk is right for rejecting Trump's megabill, Fetterman said Thursday Democrats have to decide what they think of Musk and stick with it. 

"It wasn't that long ago that Tesla was like the virtue-signaling kind of accessory for Dems," Fetterman said. "I would never want to vandalize Teslas, and the ‘big, beautiful bill’ is wrong for America. So, from my perspective, I've just tried to be consistent through that."

Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., was one Democrat who acknowledged this week that Democrats should work with Musk on their shared objective to stop Trump's "big, beautiful bill."

And GOP Rep. Tim Burchett piled on the criticism of Democrats' inconsistencies, telling Fox News Digital, "It's kind of ironic to me that, a week ago, the Democrats hated Elon Musk's guts … and now they're basing everything they have on him."

Fox News Channel's Chad Pergram and Fox News Media's Dan Scully contributed to this report. 

‘Gone too far’: GOP lawmakers rally around Trump after Musk raises Epstein allegations

House GOP lawmakers are accusing Elon Musk of going "too far" after he suggested President Donald Trump was "in the Epstein files."

"Hopefully we never have to answer questions about tweets like that from Elon again," said Rep. Pat Fallon, R-Texas, calling Musk's comments "not helpful."

"Elon crossed the line today," Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, told Fox News Digital,

Musk referenced late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein in relation to Trump Thursday as part of a larger tirade against the president and Republican leaders over their budget reconciliation bill.

HOUSE GOP TARGETS ANOTHER DEM OFFICIAL ACCUSED OF BLOCKING ICE AMID DELANEY HALL FALLOUT

The tech billionaire accused Republicans of adding to the national debt — currently nearing $37 trillion — with legislation they've called Trump's "big, beautiful bill."

"Time to drop the really big bomb. [Trump] is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public. Have a nice day, DJT!" Musk wrote on X. "Mark this post for the future. The truth will come out."

Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas, said Musk had "gone too far."

NATIONAL DEBT TRACKER: AMERICAN TAXPAYERS (YOU) ARE NOW ON THE HOOK FOR $36,214,501,400,213.64 AS OF 6/5/25

"There's just no need for this," Nehls said. "Those conversations should be taking place behind closed doors."

Some Republicans argued that any damning information about Trump and Epstein would have already been revealed if it existed.

"What I would say is, if Joe Biden had Donald Trump in the Epstein logs, there's no question it would have come out during the campaign," Rep. Randy Fine, R-Fla., told Fox News Digital. "So, I don't know what's prompting it. I think it's all unfortunate."

Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., questioned why Musk would let his young son, nicknamed "X," around Trump if he believed he was closely associated with a pedophile.

"The Biden administration would have put it out. There's nobody that Democrats hate more than Donald J. Trump, and he's handing them their lunch every day. So, I don't put much faith into it," Burchett said.

"Why would he let his kid hang out with the president if that was true? That just doesn't make any sense. And now he's calling for his impeachment. I mean, it's just going off to the deep end."

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla.,  who is leading a task force on declassifying federal investigations, including Epstein's, told reporters she did not think Musk's suggestion held water.

"Speaking to Jeffrey Epstein, I will be very specific that I do believe that if President Trump was in the Epstein files, they would have released it during the primary, and they didn't," Luna said.

MEET THE TRUMP-PICKED LAWMAKERS GIVING SPEAKER JOHNSON A FULL HOUSE GOP CONFERENCE

"So, the fact is, is that I do not believe that President Trump is in the Epstein files, the way that it's being implied, but either which way, this is why we continue to push for transparency."

Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., however, stood apart in his answer in calling for more transparency into the Epstein files.

"Facts will bear out whatever they will," Norman said. "The Epstein files are bound to come out, and let it come out. We ought to see it. America has a right to know, just like they do with the John F. Kennedy files, the Bobby Kennedy files."

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt attributed Musk's tirade to Trump's bill, which is focused on working- and middle-class tax relief and not benefiting Musk and his companies enough.

"This is an unfortunate episode from Elon, who is unhappy with the One Big Beautiful Bill because it does not include the policies he wanted. The President is focused on passing this historic piece of legislation and making our country great again," Leavitt said.

Sen. Pete Ricketts, R-Neb., told Fox News Digital, "I could not tell you what Elon Musk's motivations are, but I can tell you what we're going to do, which is avoid a $4 trillion tax increase on the American people.

And while it's well-known the two men were acquainted, a source familiar with the matter pointed out that Trump had kicked Epstein out of his Palm Beach Golf Club.

Trump had permanently banned Epstein from Mar-a-Lago for hitting on a teenage daughter of a club member, according to a book, "The Grifter's Club." 

"The administration itself released Epstein files with the President’s name included. This is not a new surprise Elon is uncovering. Everyone already knew this," the source said. "If Elon truly thought the President was more deeply involved with Epstein, why did he hang out with him for six months and say he ‘loves him as much as a straight man can love a straight man?'"

Fox News Digital has also reached out to Musk for comment via his office at Tesla.

Judge who ordered deportation flights of Venezuelan gang members be returned faces calls for impeachment

After Obama-appointed Judge James Boasberg issued an order Saturday halting President Donald Trump's rapid deportation of Venezuelan gang members, Texas GOP Rep. Brandon Gill swiftly announced plans to file articles of impeachment in an effort to remove him.

Gill made the announcement on X, formerly Twitter, on Saturday, noting he would be filing the motion this week. In a subsequent tweet from Elon Musk, the entrepreneur turned Trump advisor responded simply, "Necessary."

"The very worst judges – those who repeatedly flout the law – should at least be put to an impeachment vote, whether that vote succeeds or not," Musk followed up in a separate post on X Monday. 

TOM HOMAN CALLS OUT ‘RADICAL’ JUDGE FOR ‘DEFYING LOGIC’ WITH RULING TO STALL TRUMP DEPORTATIONS

Republicans have been piling on Boasberg after he issued a 14-day restraining order halting the Trump administration from deporting violent Venezuelan gang members who entered the U.S. illegally, via powers laid out in the centuries-old Alien Enemies Act. 

Last used during World War II, the Alien Enemies Act was implemented in advance of a potential war with the French at the time, due to fears that immigrants would sympathize with France. The law provides the president broad powers to imprison or deport noncitizens during a time of war.  

"Another day, another judge unilaterally deciding policy for the whole country. This time to benefit foreign gang members," Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, posted on X. "If the Supreme Court or Congress doesn’t fix, we’re headed towards a constitutional crisis. Senate Judiciary Cmte taking action."

TRUMP THANKS EL SALVADOR FOR TAKING IN ALLEGED GANG MEMBERS DEPORTED FROM US: ‘WE WILL NOT FORGET’

Boasberg's ruling came in response to a suit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and left-wing legal advocacy group Democracy Forward. The lawsuit alleged that Trump's intent to use his "wartime authority" to deport dangerous illegal immigrants was unlawful, since the U.S. is not in the midst of a "declared war."

The lawsuit followed a proclamation signed by Trump on Saturday, which alleged that violent gang members belonging to the Venezuelan-based Tren de Aragua (TdA) gang were "conducting irregular warfare and undertaking hostile actions against the United States." Last month, Trump moved to designate a slew of Mexican drug cartels, including TdA, as "Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs)."

Fox News Digital reached out to Gill to glean more exact details about when he plans to introduce articles of impeachment against Boasberg, but did not hear back in time for publication of this story. 

Key House Democrat rips Musk for usurping presidential powers, says some have discussed impeachment

Despite not being the president, Elon Musk stands accused of usurping three presidential powers through his Department of Government Efficiency's (DOGE) efforts to cut costs and downsize the scope of the federal government. 

U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., appeared Sunday on MSNBC's "The Weekend," and he was asked if Republicans have joined him and other Democrats to back the "Nobody Elected Elon Musk Act," which was introduced to rein in DOGE, the cost-cutting agency that has targeted certain government programs. 

"At this point, they're either out there cheerleading for Elon Musk or more and more of them are getting real quiet because they see the public does not like this," said Raskin, who is proposing the legislation. 

"The public does not like the idea that a guy who would not even be constitutionally eligible to run for president is acting as president.

FEDERAL JUDGE ORDERS LIMITED DOGE ACCESS TO SENSITIVE TREASURY DEPARTMENT PAYMENT SYSTEM RECORDS

"A guy who, if he were president, would be impeached immediately because he’s taking billions of dollars in foreign government emoluments from all over the world," he added. "And some have actually been talking about impeaching President Elon Musk right now on the theory that he’s usurped the powers of the presidency."

Raskin said Musk wants to create a "techno monarchy" amid his cost-cutting through DOGE. 

"Elon Musk would really like to completely overthrow our system of government and move us into some kind of techno monarchy under the geniuses of Silicon Valley," he said. 

HEGSETH SAYS DOGE WELCOME AT PENTAGON AS DEFENSE DEPARTMENT REVIEWS MILITARY POSTURE GLOBALLY

Musk's role in the Trump administration has garnered praise from Republicans and drawn the ire of Democrats who worry about his access to government databases and say he is trying to take over the government in a way that's not transparent.

"The people voted for major government reform," Musk told reporters Tuesday from the Oval Office alongside Trump. "There should be no doubt about that. That was on the campaign. The president spoke about that at every rally. The people voted for major government reform. And that's what people are going to get."

Since President Donald Trump has taken office, DOGE has set its sights on the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Treasury Department. 

A judge recently issued a temporary restraining order blocking the Musk-led department and political appointees from accessing sensitive Treasury Department data. Trump has also directed DOGE to probe the Education and Defense departments for wasteful spending.

"Billions and billions of dollars in waste, fraud and abuse," Trump said Tuesday. "And I think it's very important. And that's one of the reasons I got elected."

Musk defended DOGE, saying the group is targeting bureaucracies that don't provide anything in return to taxpayers, as well as targeting America's debt. 

"What we have is this unelected, fourth unconstitutional branch of government, which is the bureaucracy, which has, in a lot of ways, currently more power than any elected representative," Musk said. "And this is not something that people want. It does not match the will of the people. So, it's just something we've got we've got to fix.

"So, what I really would say is it's not optional for us to reduce the federal expense," he added. "It's essential."

‘Pulling an Alvin Bragg’: Left-wing DA’s ‘flimsy’ suit against Elon Musk’s $1M giveaway slammed by expert

Left-wing Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner filed a lawsuit against tech billionaire Elon Musk over his $1 million giveaway amid the highly anticipated Pennsylvania election – a suit that is being slammed as riddled with legal issues by an expert. 

"As a prosecutor for the city and county of Philadelphia, Krasner has no legal ability to prosecute anyone for alleged violations of federal law. So instead, he is pulling an Alvin Bragg by concocting a flimsy legal theory that Musk somehow is violating Pennsylvania’s lottery law," Cully Stimson, deputy director of the Heritage Foundation’s Edwin Meese III Center of Center for Legal and Judicial Studies, wrote in a Daily Signal commentary piece published Monday. 

Stimson compared the suit to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg charging former President Trump with 34 counts of falsifying business records, which prosecutors linked during the spring 2024 trial to an election scheme to illegally influence the 2016 election. Trump was found guilty in the case, and has since maintained his innocence as legal experts rallied that the case was an "absolute joke" and "witch hunt" against the 45th president. 

Krasner filed a lawsuit Monday against Musk and his super PAC, the America PAC, for "running an illegal lottery in Philadelphia" and across the state. 

Musk announced earlier this month that voters in battleground states, such as Pennsylvania or Michigan, were eligible for a $1 million a day giveaway after signing the America PAC’s petition backing the Constitution. Musk endorsed Trump in July, and recently joined him on the campaign trail to rally support for his re-election bid, most notably in the key battleground state of Pennsylvania. 

PHILADELPHIA DA LARRY KRASNER IMPEACHED BY PENNSYLVANIA LAWMAKERS IN GOP-LED EFFORT: 'CRISIS OF CRIME'

The initiative outlines that it only applies to registered voters in the battleground states of Pennsylvania, Georgia, Nevada, Arizona, Wisconsin and North Carolina, and if they sign the petition. 

"The First and Second Amendments guarantee freedom of speech and the right to bear arms. By signing below, I am pledging my support for the First and Second Amendments," the petition reads. 

HERE'S HOW ELON MUSK'S $1M A DAY GIVEAWAY TO BATTLEGROUND VOTERS WORKS

Musk has already announced winners for the giveaway, including one in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, on Saturday. 

"Oct 22 - Nov 5: Each day, one petition signer from either PA, GA, NV, AZ, MI, WI, or NC will earn $1,000,000," the America PAC website reads. 

Stimson wrote that Krasner is "one of George Soros’ bought-and-paid-for district attorneys" who "doesn’t care about the law" and launched the suit to quench his alleged thirst "for media attention."

"Musk isn’t paying individuals to register to vote; he is paying already-registered voters to sign a petition, which is entirely lawful," Stimson explained. 

ELON GOES ON CAMPAIGN BLITZ AGAINST GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS, VOWS TO REVEAL BIZARRE ALLEGED SCHEMES

"​​In his civil complaint against Musk, Krasner asserts that by ‘lulling’ registered voters into giving their personal identifying information such as their postal address, cellphone number, and email address, voters have paid Musk consideration – as when a person gives a dollar to purchase a Mega Millions lottery ticket," he continued. 

In his suit, Krasner cited the 1976 case "Commonwealth v. Lane," which detailed that under Pennsylvania law, a lottery is deemed unlawful under three elements: "(1) a prize to be won; (2) a winner to be determined by chance; and (3) the payment of a consideration by the player." 

Stimson said the first two elements are satisfied when considering the Musk giveaway, but "the third element is nowhere to be found."

"Consideration is the payment of money, which is completely lacking in the Musk proposal. Registered voters didn’t pay money to sign the petition. Their personally identifiable information isn’t, under either the Lane case or state law, ‘consideration,’" Stimson explained. 

PENNSYLVANIA SUPREME COURT DEBATES FUTURE OF IMPEACHMENT TRIAL FOR PHILADELPHIA PROSECUTOR LARRY KRASNER

Stimson, whose background includes extensive investigations into "rogue" prosecutors who have politically benefited from donations made by left-wing billionaire George Soros, added in his commentary piece that it’s a "bit rich of Krasner to sue Musk, since the Philadelphia DA is a two-time violator of state campaign finance laws."

Stimson cited previous research that found Krasner received $1.7 million from Soros-funded groups during his 2017 election, and an additional $1.25 million from the same groups during his 2021 re-election campaign. 

FAR-LEFT PHILADELPHIA DA LARRY KRASNER'S COMPANY OWES $86,000 IN UNPAID TAXES

"In both races, he broke campaign finance laws and got into hot water with Philadelphia’s Board of Ethics."

The Philadelphia Inquirer reported in 2019 that Krasner settled with the ethics board over accepting more than $11,000 in excess in-kind contributions from the Soros-backed Real Justice PAC. Krasner paid a $4,000 fine and agreed to reimburse the city for the excess in-kind contribution from the PAC, while the Real Justice PAC agreed to pay $8,000 in penalties.

Following his 2021 re-election, Krasner’s campaign and the Real Justice PAC again admitted to breaking campaign finance law. Krasner agreed to pay $10,000 in penalties, while the Real Justice PAC agreed to pay $30,000 in penalties, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported that year.

WIDOW OF SLAIN PHILADELPHIA POLICE OFFICER BLAMES PROGRESSIVE POLICIES OF DA LARRY KRASNER FOR HUSBAND'S DEATH

"Krasner has been a disaster as Philadelphia’s district attorney," Stimson wrote. "... Crime has exploded in Philly as a result of Krasner’s pro-criminal, anti-victim, cop-hating policies."

"In the five years before he was elected, an average of 271 homicides occurred per year. Since he was elected in 2017, an average of 368 homicides per year have occurred – an ‘extra’ 97 dead bodies per year."

Fox News Digital reached out to Krasner’s office for a response to Stimson’s arguments, but did not receive a reply. 

Following Musk’s announcement of the giveaway this month, Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro set the stage that it would likely come under legal scrutiny. 

"I think there are real questions with how he is spending money in this race, how the dark money is flowing, not just into Pennsylvania, but apparently now into the pockets of Pennsylvanians. That is deeply concerning," Shapiro said on NBC’s "Meet the Press."

PHILADELPHIA'S FORMER DEMOCRATIC MAYOR SLAMS SOROS-FUNDED DA FOR REFUSING TO CALL MURDER SURGE A 'CRISIS'

He continued, "Look, Musk, obviously has a right to be able to express his views, and he’s made it very, very clear that he supports Donald Trump, and we have a difference of opinion. I don’t deny him that right, but when you start flowing this kind of money into politics, I think it raises serious questions that folks may want to take a look at."

"You think it might not be legal, yes or no?" host Kristen Welker asked.

Shapiro responded, "I think it’s something that law enforcement can take a look at."

Musk announced the eighth winner of the giveaway on Saturday in Lancaster, home to Pennsylvania’s rolling hills dotted with Amish farms, where he again touted the petition backing the Constitution. 

"We're trying to get attention for this very important petition to support the Constitution. And, it's like, if we, you know – we need the right to free speech; we need the right to bear arms," Musk said at the rally in Lancaster.

"So we're going to be giving out a million dollars every day through Nov. 5," he continued. "And also, all you have to do is sign the petition in support of the First and Second Amendments. That's it. You don't even have to vote. It'd be nice if you voted, but you don't have to. And then just basically sign something you already believe in, and you get a test to win a million dollars every day from now through the election."

Twitter’s Elon Musk predicts Trump will win re-election in ‘landslide victory’ if arrested

Twitter CEO Elon Musk on Saturday predicted that former President Donald Trump will be re-elected in a "landslide" if he is indicted — or possibly arrested and potentially "handcuffed" — next week.

"If this happens, Trump will be re-elected in a landslide victory," Musk tweeted.

Musk was reacting to a Fox News segment which detailed how the Manhattan District Attorney's office has asked for a meeting with law enforcement ahead of a possible Trump indictment of next week.

According to a court source, the meeting was requested Thursday and hasn't been set. The meeting is to "discuss logistics for some time next week, which would mean that they are anticipating an indictment next week," the source familiar with the planning said. Secret Service is expected to take the lead on what they will allow and won’t allow — for instance, the decision of whether to handcuff Trump.

TRUMP SAYS ‘ILLEGAL LEAKS’ INDICATE HE'LL BE ARRESTED TUESDAY 

The potential indictment stems from the lengthy investigation surrounding Trump's alleged payment of "hush money" to actress Stormy Daniels. Toward the end of the 2016 presidential campaign, Trump's then-lawyer Michael Cohen sent $130,000 to Daniels to prevent her from disclosing a 2006 affair with Trump. Trump reimbursed Cohen through installments. The office, led by DA Alvin Bragg, has been investigating the hush money scandal — which took place in 2016 — for the past five years.

On Saturday morning, Trump posted about the possible indictment on Truth Social, indicating that he will be "ARRESTED ON TUESDAY." 

"NOW ILLEGAL LEAKS FROM A CORRUPT & HIGHLY POLITICAL MANHATTAN DISTRICT ATTORNEYS OFFICE, WHICH HAS ALLOWED NEW RECORDS TO BE SET IN VIOLENT CRIME & WHOSE LEADER IS FUNDED BY GEORGE SOROS, INDICATE THAT, WITH NO CRIME BEING ABLE TO BE PROVEN, & BASED ON AN OLD & FULLY DEBUNKED (BY NUMEROUS OTHER PROSECUTORS!) FAIRYTALE, THE FAR & AWAY LEADING REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE & FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, WILL BE ARRESTED ON TUESDAY OF NEXT WEEK. PROTEST, TAKE OUR NATION BACK!," Trump wrote.

Reached for comment Friday, the Manhattan District Attorney's office would neither "confirm or comment" on the impending indictment. 

The potential for an indictment re-sparked conversation online about how it could affect Trump’s 2024 White House bid, and renewed claims from Trump allies that the probe was politically motivated.

"It’s ALL FOR POLITICS! This is what they do in communists countries to destroy their political opponents! Republicans in Congress MUST subpoena these communists and END this!" Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., tweeted.

MANHATTAN DA'S OFFICE ‘ASKED FOR A MEETING’ WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT AHEAD OF POSSIBLE TRUMP INDICTMENT

Former Rep. Adam Kinzinger, a vocal Trump opponent, fired back: "You break the law, you go to jail. Whomp whomp marj."

Author Scott Adams shared Musk’s sentiment that the indictment could boost Trump’s election chances.

NEW YORK PROSECUTORS SIGNAL TRUMP MAY FACE CRIMINAL CHARGES FROM STORMY DANIELS SCANDAL

"If they handcuff Trump, he is your next president," he said.

Others weren’t so sure. Washington Post columnist Greg Sargent noted that there had been similar predictions of scandals boosting Trump that had failed to pan out.

"Yet again we're told holding Trump accountable for corruption/crimes will lead to GOP victories. But this hasn't happened. People said impeachment would cause backlash, but he lost reelex," he said. "People said 1/6 committee would cause backlash, but Rs dramatically underperformed in 2022."

Fox News' Chris Pandolo, Marta Dhanis, Adam Sabes, and Brandon Gillespie contributed to this report.