Elon Musk Expresses Regret Over Harsh Posts About Trump Amid Signs of Reconciliation
Elon Musk said on Wednesday that he regretted some of his recent social media posts targeting U.S. President Donald Trump, acknowledging that they may have gone “too far.” The statement marks a possible step toward mending ties between the billionaire entrepreneur and the former president after days of public conflict.
Their feud intensified last week when Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, sharply criticized Trump’s major tax and spending package, calling it a “disgusting abomination.” In response, Trump declared over the weekend that his relationship with Musk was finished after both traded barbs online.
Musk has since deleted several anti-Trump posts, including one that hinted at supporting the president’s impeachment. Sources close to Musk suggest his frustration has begun to cool and that he may be interested in patching things up. Analysts have noted that Musk’s shift in tone could reflect a desire to shield his businesses from political fallout.
“I regret some of my posts about President Donald Trump last week. They went too far,” Musk wrote Wednesday on his social media platform X, though he did not clarify which posts he was referring to.
Following Musk’s message, Tesla shares rose 2.3% in pre-market trading.
Mamta Valechha, a consumer discretionary analyst at Tesla investor Quilter Cheviot, said Musk’s more conciliatory messaging might signal an effort to safeguard his commercial interests.
Matthew Britzman, an analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown and Tesla shareholder, said tensions between the two high-profile figures appear to be easing. “It seems unlikely they’ll ever return to a close alliance, but both have more to lose than gain from continuing the public spat,” he said.
Shawn Campbell, an advisor at Camelthorn Investments, echoed this view, saying a reconciliation is possible, though a full restoration of their previous relationship seems doubtful.
“The stakes are enormous when you’re talking about the world’s richest man and the president of the United States—billions in government contracts and regulatory powers are on the line,” said Campbell, who owns Tesla stock personally.
Political and Financial Ties Under Pressure
Musk had been a major financial backer of Trump’s 2024 campaign, reportedly contributing close to $300 million in the 2023 election cycle and claiming credit for the Republican Party retaining control of the House and regaining the Senate majority.
Trump had appointed Musk to lead an initiative to shrink the federal workforce and reduce government spending. However, Musk resigned from the role last month after denouncing Trump’s signature tax bill as overly costly and detrimental to his work with the Department of Government Efficiency.
Trump cut ties publicly on Saturday, warning of “serious consequences” if Musk began funding Democratic candidates opposing Republicans who supported the tax plan. He also said he had no plans to reconcile with Musk.
Yet by Monday, Trump appeared to soften slightly, saying he would take no issue if Musk called and had no intention of ending the White House’s use of Starlink, the satellite internet service provided by Musk’s company SpaceX—though he did mention possibly relocating his Tesla vehicle.
“We had a good relationship, and I wish him well,” Trump remarked. Musk later responded with a heart emoji to a clip of the comment shared on X.
Following the exchange, Tesla shares have fully recovered from last Thursday’s steep drop—when the company’s market value fell by over $150 billion amid the Musk-Trump fallout.
