President Trump declared Saturday that his relationship with Elon Musk was effectively over, following a heated public spat between the two on social media. He also warned of "serious consequences" if Musk decided to fund political challengers against Republicans who had backed the president’s domestic policy agenda.
In a phone interview with NBC’s Kristen Welker, Trump said he had no intention of reconnecting with Musk, branding the tech mogul as “disrespectful” toward the office of the presidency. Asked whether he’d consider rebuilding the relationship, Trump firmly responded: “No.”
Yet despite those words, Trump hasn’t exactly dropped the issue. Over the past day, while claiming he’s giving Musk no thought, Trump has fielded calls and answered multiple reporter questions about their falling out. During a flight to New Jersey aboard Air Force One, Trump was spotted watching Fox News coverage of their feud, before heading to the press cabin to weigh in further.
His commentary has ranged wildly. At times, Trump described Musk as having gone "crazy", and at others, he showed a sliver of sympathy, calling him a “wayward son.” In private, he’s accused Musk of being under the influence of drugs, while elsewhere he’s expressed hope for reconciliation. Still, Trump hasn’t hesitated to float the idea of cutting off federal contracts with Musk’s companies, especially SpaceX.
Behind closed doors, confidants of both men have tried to cool things down. Musk has already deleted some of his most provocative posts, and Trump has—by his standards—been more restrained in his public remarks.
According to Trump advisers, the bond is likely beyond repair, though some speculate that a pragmatic truce could eventually emerge. Both recognize the mutual leverage they hold.
Trump has the authority to aid or hinder Musk’s business empire—especially SpaceX, which relies heavily on government funding. Meanwhile, Musk’s influence is just as powerful: he’s a major GOP donor, has pledged $100 million to Trump’s political groups, controls the dominant conservative social media platform, and knows sensitive details about Trump’s inner circle.
Historically, Trump has been willing to reconcile even with harsh critics. While Musk’s cryptic jab about Trump’s alleged ties to Jeffrey Epstein may seem like a dealbreaker, the Trump administration has included figures who once offered brutal personal critiques—like a Secretary of State who called him a “con man,” and a Vice President who questioned whether Trump might become an “American Hitler.”
During a podcast appearance with comedian Theo Von, Vice President JD Vance spoke about the Trump-Musk feud, choosing a measured tone.
“Elon’s a brilliant entrepreneur,” Vance said. “I’ll always be loyal to the president, but I’d like to see Elon back in the fold.”
Vance credited Musk’s work with the Department of Government Efficiency, sympathized with his frustrations with Washington, and noted his businesses were under constant attack.
“I think it’s a massive mistake for the richest man on Earth—a trailblazing innovator—to go to war with the most powerful leader in the world,” Vance added.
He emphasized that Trump has been “very restrained” and that if Musk could just dial things back, the situation might de-escalate. However, after being shown some of Musk’s more personal attacks on X, Vance strongly condemned Musk’s Epstein accusation.
Musk, who invested millions into Trump’s campaign, had recently led a sweeping government overhaul, slashing thousands of federal jobs before stepping back into his role as business leader.
The conflict reignited when Musk openly opposed the president’s policy bill on social media, which triggered Thursday’s public showdown. But since then, Musk has deleted some of his harshest posts, including one where he accused the Trump administration of withholding Epstein-related files—a claim made without evidence.
Another deleted post involved a threat from Musk to decommission SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft, which NASA currently uses for International Space Station missions. That was a reaction to a Truth Social post by Trump, suggesting the government could save billions by cutting Musk’s federal contracts.
Asked during the Air Force One flight whether he might follow through on canceling the contracts, Trump didn’t say no.
“He’s got a lot of money. He gets a lot of subsidies. We’ll look into that,” Trump said. “If it’s fair for the country and for him, I’ll consider it. But it has to be fair.”
Despite that, Trump refrained from bashing Musk directly on that flight, saying he wished him and his businesses well.
But by Saturday morning, Trump had returned to criticizing Musk, reigniting tensions that don’t appear to be going away anytime soon.
Description:
"Tensions flare between Donald Trump and Elon Musk as their once-strong relationship publicly unravels. Trump calls Musk “disrespectful” and hints at canceling SpaceX federal contracts, while Musk deletes controversial posts and tones down his attacks. This article dives into their escalating feud, political consequences, and the power struggle between two of the most influential figures in American politics and business."