Elon Musk has publicly apologized to President Donald Trump following an extraordinary and personal feud that erupted last week, threatening to damage both men’s political and business interests.
Musk, once the largest donor to Trump’s re-election campaign, posted on Wednesday: “I regret some of my posts about President @realDonaldTrump last week. They went too far.”
The apology followed several days of escalating confrontation, beginning with Musk’s fierce criticism of Trump’s $2.5 trillion infrastructure and industrial policy proposal, dubbed the “Big Beautiful Bill.” Musk had denounced the bill as a “disgusting abomination” that would “add $2.4 trillion to U.S. government borrowing,” and said it amounted to a handout to “cronies and consultants.”
He also called for Trump’s impeachment and mocked the president’s past association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
In response, Trump lashed out on Truth Social: “Elon Musk went crazy. I took away his EV Mandate that forced everyone to buy Electric Cars that nobody else wanted.”
He also warned of financial consequences, writing: “The easiest way to save money in our Budget, Billions and Billions of Dollars, is to terminate Elon’s Governmental Subsidies and Contracts.”
Musk’s statement of regret on X, the social platform he owns, followed a private phone call to Trump on Monday night, according to the New York Times, which cited three people familiar with the matter. That outreach came after Musk spoke on Friday with Vice President JD Vance and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles to discuss the fallout of the public spat.
According to CNN, Vance had asked Trump how he wanted the situation addressed publicly before a scheduled interview with conservative podcast host Theo Von. During the podcast, which aired Saturday, Vance said: “Really, man, I think it’s a huge mistake for him to go after the president like that … I actually think if Elon chilled out a little bit, everything would be fine.”
Trump, speaking to the New York Post, responded to the apology by saying: “I thought it was very nice that he did that.” In a previously recorded interview with the paper, he had said, “I guess I could” reconcile with Musk, though he noted he was “not a happy camper” when Musk launched the tirade.
“I think he feels very badly, that he said that,” Trump added. “I have no hard feelings for it.”
The feud had reached a boiling point last week, marking the sharpest rupture yet in what had been a mutually beneficial alliance. Musk briefly served as the head of the administration’s “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE). The initiative, which aimed to slash federal programs, has since faced scrutiny, with experts warning some of the cost-cutting measures may be illegal.
At the peak of the row, Trump made repeated references to Musk’s companies. Beyond the jab at Tesla’s electric vehicle mandate, Trump warned about cutting off billions in federal contracts awarded to SpaceX, the rocket firm run by Musk that launches more satellites for U.S. agencies than any other company. Musk, in turn, threatened to decommission SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft — a key vehicle for NASA’s astronaut missions to the International Space Station — though he later walked back the threat.
Tesla’s stock, which had been under pressure amid weakening sales in Europe and criticism of Musk’s increasingly political behavior, rose 2.6% in pre-market trading Wednesday following signs of a truce. The apology came just one day before Tesla’s planned launch of its highly anticipated “robotaxi” service in Austin, Texas — a pivotal moment for the company, which is struggling to maintain its valuation as the world’s most valuable carmaker.
Despite the conciliatory tone, it remains uncertain whether the damage is fully repaired. Trump, who had declared last week that he would “never speak to [Musk] again,” has so far offered no clear sign of reconciliation beyond brief comments. Given his long history of punishing dissent from even close allies, the future of their relationship, and the business implications that come with it, appear far from settled.