The United Auto Workers (UAW) has filed federal labor charges against former President Donald Trump and Elon Musk, the CEO of X (formerly Twitter), accusing them of attempting to intimidate and threaten workers during a recent conversation on the social media platform.
The charges were submitted to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) following a discussion between Trump and Musk on August 12, during which they touched on topics ranging from the economy to labor issues.
In the two-hour conversation on X’s Spaces, an audio-only feature, Trump and Musk discussed government spending and the potential for Musk to serve on a hypothetical “government efficiency commission” if Trump is re-elected.
However, it was their remarks on striking workers that drew the ire of the UAW.
Trump praised Musk’s handling of labor disputes, alluding to Musk’s approach as a CEO, where striking workers are swiftly terminated. Although Trump did not name a specific company, the implication was clear, given Musk’s roles at Tesla and SpaceX.
The UAW argued that the conversation amounted to an endorsement of illegal actions, claiming that the two men were advocating for the unlawful firing of striking workers.
Under the National Labor Relations Act, workers are protected from being fired for participating in a legal strike. The UAW explained that such comments violated federal law and threatened working-class Americans’ rights.
UAW President Shawn Fain strongly condemned the comments, stating, “When we say Donald Trump is a scab, this is what we mean. Both Trump and Musk want working-class people to sit down and shut up, and they laugh about it openly.”
Fain’s sharp criticism reflects the growing tension between the union and Trump, especially as the UAW has officially endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for president.
The Trump campaign, however, dismissed the charges as a “frivolous” attempt to undermine the former president’s strong support among American workers.
Senior Advisor Brian Hughes asserted that the UAW’s actions were driven by Democratic special interests trying to erode Trump’s broad coalition of support.
“Democrat special interest bosses may lie and stoke fear to try and stop President Trump from creating the broadest coalition of any candidate in history, but rank-and-file workers and their families know the truth,” Hughes said. “President Trump strengthened our economy and delivered results on behalf of the forgotten men and women of America, and he will do it again when he is re-elected on November 5.”
The conversation between Trump and Musk, which initially faced technical difficulties, eventually attracted over 1.3 million listeners.
While Trump has been actively courting union voters, particularly in swing states like Michigan, his ongoing disputes with union leadership, including Fain, have become increasingly public.
The labor charges filed by the UAW underscore the deepening divide between Trump and the union.