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US Politics

Have we just seen the first cracks in the Trump-Musk alliance?

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Spending disputes are a semi-frequent reminder of how loose the federal government is with the purse strings.

But this week 's dispute has shone some light on potential areas for MAGA in-fighting.

While Musk appears to be fighting against an ever-expanding government, Trump seems to be looking for an opportunity to grow his vision for the state further.

But what that agenda really is in practice is likely to be a battle all its own: between those who would repeat the practice of borrowing and spending, as happened between 2016 and 2020 , and those who would use Trump ’s significant mandate to cut spending to actually do so to get the country’s finances back on track. Kate Andrews is the Economics Editor at The Spectator . Sign up to the Front Page newsletter for free: Your essential guide to the day 's agenda from The Telegraph - direct to your inbox seven days a week..