Sikorski responds to Musk-Trump conflict with a sharp retort

"You see, great man, politics is more difficult than you thought," Sikorski wrote on the X platform. In this way, he retaliated for the March insult from the billionaire, who had previously called him a "little man."

It all started a few months ago with a heated exchange of words about the Starlink system. Elon Musk suggested in March that his company could disconnect Ukraine from satellite internet at any time, which would have dramatic consequences for its defense. “If he decided to disconnect Ukraine from Starlink, the front would collapse and Ukraine would lose the war,” Musk said at the time.

In response, Radosław Sikorski recalled that Poland also co-finances Ukraine's access to the Starlink network: "Starlinks for Ukraine are also paid for by Poland as part of a bilateral trade agreement."

Musk responded by making a disparaging comment about the Polish minister, calling him a "little man," which sparked a political storm and a sharp reaction in Warsaw.

When Friendship Ends: Musk vs. Trump

Now, when Elon Musk himself has come under fire, Radosław Sikorski did not miss the opportunity to remind him of the hardships of political life. The billionaire has come under media and political “fire” due to the growing conflict with Donald Trump – the US president, who until recently viewed the Tesla owner as a close partner and advisor.

Musk was recently removed from the US President's administration. Additionally, Trump announced the implementation of a flagship project - the "One Big Beautiful Bill", which assumes tax cuts and cuts in public spending. Although Elon Musk himself has declared a liberal approach to taxes for years, this time his position aroused the suspicions of the president. The billionaire publicly criticized the idea.

Trump publicly suggested at the time that Musk's opposition was not based on economic beliefs, but on pure financial interests – taking away tax breaks for electric cars, which Tesla, among others, uses. And that's not all. The host of the White House directly accused Musk of being disloyal to his own country and harming the American economy.

Impeachment and the "Epstein List"

Instead of calming the conflict, Musk returned the favor. He publicly supported calls for Trump’s impeachment, calling for current Vice President J.D. Vance to take over. What’s more, he suggested that Donald Trump may have been on the so-called “Epstein List”—a list of people who allegedly had contact with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The “Epstein List” has been a hot topic of conspiracy theories and investigative journalism for years, but no evidence has emerged yet that Trump participated in Epstein’s crimes. Yet the mere fact that Trump was friends with Epstein in the past was enough for Musk to make the suggestion that caused a media earthquake.

JD Vance's voice and putting out the fire

The escalation of the dispute was quickly responded to by US Vice President JD Vance, who clearly sided with the president. "President Trump has done more than anyone in my lifetime to earn the trust of the movement he leads. I am proud to stand with him," he said in a firm statement.

Meanwhile, Trump's entourage began to signal attempts to defuse the crisis. According to information revealed by the Politico portal, the president's advisors convinced him to soften his tone. On Thursday, there was a short telephone interview with Donald Trump, who assured reporter Dasha Burns that "things are going very well, as never before."

A phone call between Trump and Musk was scheduled for Friday, which was supposed to be a conciliatory one. Elon Musk himself also sent a signal that he does not intend to escalate the conflict. In response to an anonymous post on the X platform, calling for "sobering up and taking a step back for a few days," Musk wrote briefly: "Good advice."

Threats against NASA and a Polish accent

Earlier, Musk threatened to retire the Dragon crew capsules, SpaceX’s spacecraft used by NASA to transport crews and cargo to the International Space Station, in response to Trump’s plan to cut government contracts for Musk’s companies as part of a budget cut.

In the end, however, the billionaire withdrew from this announcement: "Okay, we will not withdraw Dragon from service," he wrote. This decision is also of particular importance for Poland, because on Tuesday, Polish astronaut Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski is to be launched into orbit on this very ship. Musk's earlier threats could therefore indirectly affect Poland's presence in NASA's space program.

Sikorski returns to the game

All this context meant that Radosław Sikorski saw the moment as perfect to remind Musk that politics is not a technological forum. The Polish minister posted a telling message on the X platform: “You see, great man, politics is harder than you thought.” In this way, he not only referred to the ongoing conflict at the top of the American government, but also subtly reminded Musk of his previous disrespect for allies such as Poland.

This is not the first time Sikorski has engaged in public debate outside of Poland. His quick reactions and uncompromising style of communication regularly make him headlines in the world's media. This time, however, his commentary is not just a play on words – it is an important voice in the international dispute about the future of politics, influence and responsibility of people at the helm of technology.

Wprost