House Republicans are hoping the public breakup between President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk does not last very long for the sake of the “big, beautiful” reconciliation bill. Thursday’s news cycle was dominated by the clash between the President and the world’s richest man and their petty attacks on each other — which included mentions of Jeffrey Epstein,

Musk ratcheted up his rhetoric against the legislation this week, branding it a “disgusting abomination” before attacking Trump directly, calling for him to be impeached, threatening to start a rival party, and suggesting he had links with the disgraced financier and child trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.

The staggering and exceedingly public rupture in the world’s most consequential and unprecedented partnership was a long time coming. But the surreal state of suspended animation that consumed Washington as President Donald Trump and Elon Musk traded escalating blows on social media obscured a 48-hour period that illustrated profoundly high-stakes moment for the White House.