Trump and Musk Seen Together at Kirk Memorial After Public Feud
U.S. President Donald Trump and billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk were spotted interacting at a memorial service for slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk on Sunday. The appearance comes months after a highly publicized falling out between the two.
Speculation of a possible reconciliation grew when the White House X account shared photos of Trump and Musk together with the caption, “POTUS x @ElonMusk.” Musk reposted the update and had earlier shared his own photo with Trump at the event. Videos circulating on social media also showed the pair sitting side by side and conversing. The memorial, attended by Trump’s entire cabinet, reportedly drew over 90,000 people.
The two had clashed on social media earlier this year. Musk openly criticized Trump’s “big beautiful bill,” resigned from his role leading the Department of Government Efficiency, and accused the president of ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Musk even announced plans to form his own political party, although little progress was made.
Trump fired back, threatening to cut government contracts with Musk’s companies, mainly SpaceX, and eliminating key EV tax credits that had benefited Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA). At one point, Trump even floated the idea of deporting Musk.
A renewed alliance could now work in Musk’s favor, potentially easing regulatory pressure and opening doors for more government contracts. It remains unclear whether Sunday’s event marked the first in-person meeting between the two since their feud.
Tesla shares had slumped during the height of the Trump-Musk conflict, with investors worried about political distractions and the loss of EV tax credits. Concerns also mounted over regulatory risks tied to Tesla’s robotaxi project, which Musk has touted as a key driver of future growth.
Recently, however, Tesla stock has rebounded. Gains accelerated after Musk reaffirmed his focus on the company and purchased $1 billion worth of additional shares. So far in 2025, Tesla shares are up around 2%, compared to a 16% rise in the NASDAQ Composite.
