After the Deluge: An Uneasy Pause in the Trump–Musk Standoff
“I support @realDonaldTrump and @elonmusk and they should make peace for the benefit of our great country. We are much stronger together than apart.”
It didn’t take long for the war of words between President Donald Trump — the most powerful man on the planet — and Elon Musk — the world’s richest — to turn ugly. One could be forgiven for thinking their relationship was finished after Musk accused Trump of withholding the Epstein files because he’s in them, and even threatened to pull the plug on NASA’s SpaceX-developed Dragon spacecraft.
Yet, following Thursday’s extraordinary and widely watched online clash, there are signs that tensions may be beginning to cool.
First, Musk endorsed a post on X from billionaire hedge fund manager Bill Ackman, who urged him and Trump to “make peace for the benefit of our great country,” noting that “we are much stronger together than apart.”
Musk’s brief but telling reply: “You’re not wrong.”
I support @realDonaldTrump and @elonmusk and they should make peace for the benefit of our great country.
We are much stronger together than apart.
— Bill Ackman (@BillAckman) June 5, 2025
You’re not wrong
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 6, 2025
Musk also walked back his threat to decommission Dragon. Replying to a post that suggested he “cool off and take a step back for a couple of days,” Musk replied, “Good advice. Ok, we won’t decommission Dragon.”
Shoutout to this guy with 17 followers for saving space exploration pic.twitter.com/hMs7I8DM9j
— greg (@greg16676935420) June 6, 2025
Politico reported on Thursday, “White House aides, after working to persuade the president to temper his public criticism of Musk to avoid escalation, scheduled a call Friday with the billionaire CEO of Tesla to broker a peace.” The timing of the potential call remains unclear.
But a Friday morning report from NewsNation contradicted Politico’s account. Citing a White House official, NewsNation reported that “no phone call is currently planned.”
Moreover, The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday that, according to a senior White House official, “Trump has no plans to call Musk and has little interest in talking to” him. The official added that “the president is also considering selling or giving away his Tesla.”
President Trump is indeed considering selling the Tesla he bought from Elon Musk, WH official confirms to @realDailyWire. Musk has repeatedly asked to talk to the president today but Trump is not planning on doing so, I'm told.
As of Friday morning, it's still parked outside. pic.twitter.com/y2eUWEIqIC
— Mary Margaret Olohan (@MaryMargOlohan) June 6, 2025
While the two have stopped duking it out on social media, what’s happening behind closed doors remains anyone’s guess. All we can do is read the tea leaves — and so far, the signals are decidedly mixed.
It will be difficult—if not impossible—for the two to return to their previously close relationship. After such a public airing of grievances, including Musk’s pointed insinuation about Trump’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein, rebuilding trust may be out of reach.
The Wall Street Journal characterized the alliance between Trump and Musk as one of the most consequential in modern American politics. Musk’s tremendous contributions to Trump’s campaign, both financial and otherwise, and their collaboration on eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse from the federal government was good for America.
The very public rupture in their relationship will only benefit the Democrats.
Of course, the Democrats are reveling in the spectacle just as Republicans would have if former President Barack Obama had publicly traded barbs with his unelected confidante, Valerie Jarrett.
Many liberal talking heads patted themselves on the back on Thursday night for correctly predicting that the bromance would ultimately end in a fiery clash and that it would happen sooner rather than later.
But, beyond the immediate drama, the larger question is whether this high-profile rupture will hurt America. Will it jeopardize Trump’s “big beautiful bill?” Will Musk try to hurt Republican candidates during the crucial 2026 midterms?
[It may also damage Musk’s businesses, which remain heavily reliant on federal support. Tesla shares plunged 14% as the feud unfolded, though the stock made up some ground by Friday morning.]
Both men hold enough power to damage the other. More troubling, they also hold enough power to damage the country. One can only hope they recognize that — and act accordingly.
Elizabeth writes commentary for Legal Insurrection and The Washington Examiner. She is an academy fellow at The Heritage Foundation. Please follow Elizabeth on LinkedIn or X.
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Comments
Elon should get out of the k hole.
now congress and the courts have another way to torture djt…”we’ll do things in musks favor,,,
just maga and drop alll the khardashian garbage
This is a distraction for President Trump. Ms. Stauffer is correct. President Trump’s adversaries are no doubt reveling in this very public display of pique. It is much more advisable to settle this dispute privately than have it splashed across the Maoist State Media.
Not as big a deal as one might think IMO. We are used to dissent as conservatives. Not everyone has to agree and fights even occur.
We dont’ rely on a hive mind like the Dems do. You shatter their veil and all of the cards in the house tumble to the floor…it’s because they know they are built on pandering to a bunch of groups, sometimes which have diametrically opposed interests.
As per usual, Branca hits it out of the park….
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35yjmDx_2Kk
Too much is at stake to engage in bickering such as this. Healthy and civil disagreements are okay, But, this squabbling is a distraction and hinders the advancement of #47’s agenda.
The vile Dhimmi-crats love this stuff. We cannot give these pukes an opening.
This is so silly. It’s childish and worse that it is in public. These 2 need to grow the fuck up. Unfortunately they won’t. We have to take the bad with the good.
lefty still denying trump won b/c even dems got tired of crime
Linda McMahon.
Elon is right. Trump’s BBB will result in trillions of dollars in new spending. Senator Rand Paul and others agree.
Concern troll is… concerned.
Spending is too damn high. Cut the damn pork out of the bill.
Something deeper happened. Trump didn’t let Musk have some sort of control, and Elon spun out of control and lashed out:
(1) getting physical with Scott Bessent for a proper comment leaving a cabinet meeting
(2) bringing up old and now even more discredited Epstein allegations
(3) remember this is the guy who wanted to de-orbit the ISS, leaving himself in near-total control of the orbital space above the planet
(4) I keep wondering if it’s his tunnel boring equipment that built all those miles and miles of tunnels under Gaza so secretly. It wasn’t just Hamas slaves, any more than slaves built the Egyptian pyramids.
(5) now saying oddly that he’ll be around longer than Trump is president. OK fine, but whom is he trying to convince of what?
Musk has gotten very spooky, he controls the biggest satellite network and the best launch vehicles in the world personally, he is a huge risk.
He’s right about the budget bill. That’s Congress not Trump. The current draft of BBB passed the House by only a single vote. Nobody is stopping him from talking to Mike Johnson and helping him pass a better version.
Musk controls because he had the foresight and gumption to strive and accomplish things. Government is innately inept, one example was forcing the shuttle to use solid propellant. Utah politicians and a company named Thiokol. They were holding the shuttle hostage.
This kind of stupidity is why private enterprise like Musk’s are far more successful.
“Both men hold enough power to damage the other. More troubling, they also hold enough power to damage the country.”
And both men are vulnerable to an alienated public and voter base. Musk’s businesses, even SpaceX, rely ultimately on public support. Trump, even though he will not himself be running for re-election, needs public support to push Congress in the right direction and, ultimately, toward a legacy he desires.
It is in both their respective best interests to settle this and to either work together, or to at least work toward common goals.
A couple of white assholes talking. .LAFFRIOT
A Moron and a drug addict. {{{SNICKER}}}
Who didn’t see this coming?
GUFFAW.
How long before Orange Harve claims he never heard of him?
HAHAHAHH
Is this the winner of the Internet’s Dumbest Comment of the Day Award???
Possibly not, but it’s right up there in contention.
Nonsensical gibberish.
You should repeat third grade.
He’s already in his fourth year.
You are the moron.
Eliza WTH
This is 95% on Musk
I believe he was acting out on his drugs, he’s an addict, bipolar amd has high functioning Asperger’s
He’s done this crap before, calling MAGA supporters to shit on their face and die because they publicly stated they did Ted want HB1 visas.
He is very egotistical and his insane physical aggression to. East
So uncalled for, he can’t control himself
He really thinks he’s God
I believe after the assault, President Trump was pushing him out amd when Trump pulled Musks NASA recommended person, on top of electric car cuts
He just could t take it
Musk lost a lot of money, hundreds of millions supporting Trump
Trump lost in the billions when he became President
It’s such a shame that Republicans lose so much money and democrats rake I. The Nancy DJIA
AOC the bartender is worth multiple millions now
THIS IS INSANE
AND MUST STOP .
Reportedly Musk tried to patch this up and his SM posts back up that reporting. I grant that both Men are successful, driven, goal oriented and used to getting things done v merely talking about it or making promises. That clash was kinda inevitable but just like when Brothers fight they get the bad blood out and hug then put it behind them and move on. Hopefully Trump will be wise enough to take the olive branch Musk is extending and by Musk reaching out and realize that by Musk requesting the call he is acknowledging Trump’s SR status.
This isn’t about a principled argument over subsidies. If it were there wouldn’t be any SALT deduction increase from 10K to 40K to subsidize the high tax blue State political class and their destructive polices in seeking to thwart the MAGA/MAHA/center right populist movement. For that matter lets get rid of all direct and indirect subsidies to include mortgage interest for individuals and health IN and other benefit deductions for employers. Put a flat rate for all income and cap gains at 15% with a single 15K deduction. Allow business to deduct investment expenses immediately and salary +benefits cost up to the US average wage but not anything over it. That puts everyone on the same footing.
Musk will regret his tantrum. He had the President’s ear, real influence to affect positive change, And he threw it all away, for what? Disagreement over a reconciliation bill? The NASA appointment? Yesterday, Musk may have had more influence on the President than anyone. Today, he’s just another billionaire.
The Epstein shot was nasty, but palpably ludicrous. If true, does anyone think the Biden DOJ wouldn’t have been screaming it from the hills (and a courthouse)? Plus, if true, wouldn’t that imply that Musk had no problem vigorously supporting such a man? It would hardly speak well of Musk’s character.
A working relationship may be salvageable, but Musk will never have Trump’s affection and confidence again.
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