Trump Accepts Musk’s Apology: ‘Very Nice That He Did That
Former tensions between U.S. President Donald Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk have eased following a public apology from Musk, who expressed regret for his critical social media posts about the president. The reconciliation comes after a heated public dispute that saw both figures trading barbs over a controversial spending bill.
The feud began when Musk, who recently stepped down from his advisory role at the Department of Government Efficiency (DoGE), labeled Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” as a “disgusting abomination” that would burden Americans with unsustainable debt. Trump retaliated by threatening to cancel federal subsidies and contracts tied to Musk’s companies, including Tesla and SpaceX, and called Musk’s actions “disrespectful” to the presidency. Musk’s now-deleted X post, which alleged Trump’s involvement in the Jeffrey Epstein files, further escalated the conflict.
On Monday, the two spoke by phone, a conversation that preceded Musk’s public apology on Wednesday. In a post on X, Musk acknowledged that some of his comments about Trump “went too far” and expressed regret. Trump, in a podcast with columnist Miranda Devine, responded positively, stating, “I have no hard feelings,” and expressed openness to mending ties, though he emphasized his focus on national priorities. “I guess I could, but we have to straighten out the country,” Trump said, noting he was “surprised” by the earlier dispute.
Musk’s apology followed discussions with Vice President JD Vance and White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, who, according to the Wall Street Journal, urged him to resolve the conflict. The public spat had financial repercussions, with Tesla’s stock dropping 14% on Thursday the largest single-day decline in the company’s history before recovering most losses by Friday, rising less than 1% by mid-afternoon Wednesday.
Trump’s willingness to move past the disagreement was echoed in his comments to Devine, where he described Musk’s apology as “very nice.” While the president indicated no immediate plans to meet with Musk, the apology appears to have de-escalated their high-profile feud, which had drawn significant attention due to Musk’s substantial $300 million contribution to Trump’s 2024 campaign.
The reconciliation marks a shift from last week’s tensions, which saw Musk question the necessity of an apology and even float the idea of launching an “America Party” as an alternative to the Republican Party. For now, both figures appear poised to move forward, with Trump focusing on his administration’s agenda and Musk returning to his business ventures.