Elon Musk acknowledges certain remarks towards Trump and believes they exceeded acceptable boundaries.
Unorthodox Feud: Elon Musk, former Trump ally, expresses regret for some of his tweets slamming Trump, following the president's announcement of their severed relationship.
Musk, the billioneaire tech magnate, penned an apology on Twitter without specifying which exact posts he was referring to. This development comes days after Trump declared their partnership over. Trump's press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, has confirmed that the White House has made no attempts to reevaluate the contracts of Musk's corporations.
During a Twitter tussle, Trump threatened to cancel SpaceX and Tesla deals. Post-breakup, the duo went back and forth with barbs on Twitter. Musk described Trump's extensive tax reform and spending bill as a "horrendous abomination" and proceeded to delete some of his critical tweets about the president, including a pro-impeachment post and one falsely accusing Trump of appearing in the Jeffrey Epstein case files.
Trump Contemplates Repairing Fences with Musk, but...
Trump hinted at the possibility of reconciling with Musk, while stating that it's not a top priority.
Responding to a question during a podcast with popular columnist Miranda Devine, Trump mentioned, "I suppose I could [speak with Musk], but, hey, we need to set this country right, and my only focus now is getting this country back to its peak."
During the podcast, Trump reiterated that he's moved on from Musk. "I'm not quite sure what his problem is, honestly. I haven't thought about him much lately," Trump said.
The podcast took place on Monday, but was published on Wednesday. On the same day, Vice President JD Vance stated that Trump is "extremely disappointed" by Musk's comments but is not keen on a lengthy confrontation with the billionaire.
Musk's Bill
Musk backed Trump's 2024 presidential campaign financially, spending close to $300 million, and claimed credit for the Republicans' maintenance of House seats and repossession of Senate majority. However, the breakup last week has cost his companies billions.
Following his election win, Trump appointed Musk to lead an initiative aimed at reducing federal employment and spending. But by late May, a significant drop in Tesla's stock value, coupled with Musk's criticism of the White House's fiscal policy bill, led him to relinquish his role, citing the bill as too expensive and a detriment to his work in the Department of Government Efficiency.
Upon ending their relationship, Trump warned of severe consequences if Musk funded the Democrats in the impeachment and asserted that there were no plans to repair ties with the richest man on Earth.
However, on Monday, Trump clarified that he wouldn't have any objections if Musk called him, and admitted that there were no plans to disrupt the Starlink satellite internet service provided to the White House by SpaceX. Musk responded with a heart emoji to a video showcasing Trump's statements.
(Enrichment Insights)1. Recent events demonstrate a significant divide between Elon Musk and Donald Trump, with exchanges of harsh criticism from both parties. Musk's staunch opposition to a Republican-driven bill led to the rift[1].
- The legislation at the heart of the dispute involves massive tax cuts and spending reductions, with the Congressional Budget Office estimating it would increase deficits by $2.4 trillion over the next decade[1].
- The current tension may pose risks for both SpaceX and Tesla, particularly around government policy, subsidies, and federal contracts[1].
- Musk's relationship with the White House has historically influenced government contracts and regulatory decisions for SpaceX, which could be affected by the strained relationship[1].
- The public fallout between Musk and Trump might lead to a less favorable regulatory and political environment for both companies[1].
- Despite their public fallout, Trump has indicated a potential willingness to reconcile with Musk, citing his focus on general news and policy-and-legislation, such as setting the country right, as priorities over personal matters with celebrities like Musk.[1]
- Entertaining the notion of renewing their relationship, Trump acknowledged the financial support Musk provided for his 2024 presidential campaign through entertainment and investments, even though it led to a significant backlash and change in policy-and-legislation for Musk's corporations.[1]
- As protests against the tax reform and spending bill, such as the one led by Musk, escalate, they bring attention to the intersection of politics and entertainment, as well as the powerful influence celebrities and entertainers can have on policy-and-legislation.[1]
