Dogecoin took a hard hit this week as tensions flared between Elon Musk and US President Donald Trump. Prices slid sharply, and red numbers dominated the market. Traders who had been riding the hype found themselves on the losing end. It was a week many will remember for how politics and memes intersected in unexpected ways.
According to public posts, Elon Musk officially left the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) on Thursday. That move came after he criticized Trump’s spending bill. He had been co-leading that department since late 2024. Their back-and-forth heated up after Trump said he was “very disappointed” in Musk.
In response, Musk claimed Trump would not have won the election without his support. Then Trump called Musk “CRAZY” and threatened to cancel Tesla and SpaceX contracts. Musk fired back on X with, “Go ahead, make my day.” He even warned he might decommission SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft.
Based on posts on X, Musk also said that files about Jeffrey Epstein’s case have stayed secret because Trump’s name appears in them. That claim added another layer to the feud. It wasn’t just about spending anymore. Now there was an allegation tying the US President to sealed Epstein investigations. Trump replied that he would pull any contracts with Musk’s companies.
Based on reports, Dogecoin fell about 11% on Thursday alone. Over the past week, it was down 16% from its recent highs. Traders pointed to Musk’s political exit as a key factor. Many still see Dogecoin as “the people’s crypto” because of Musk’s early support. But without his backing in that government role, sentiment soured quickly.
Elon Musk’s companies did not escape the fallout. Tesla stock closed down 13% on Thursday. That tumble came after Trump signaled he would pull federal contracts from any company owned by Musk. Investors feared lost revenue and stiffer regulatory oversight.
Meanwhile, the broader crypto market also felt a jolt. According to Coinglass data, total liquidations reached $982 million in a single day. Of that, long liquidations—bets on rising prices—totaled $881 million. Short positions, or bets expecting prices to fall, saw losses of $100 million.
