Tech billionaire Elon Musk appears to be walking back from an explosive public fallout with former U.S. President Donald Trump, hinting at reconciliation in a subtle gesture on Monday.
Musk, who last week accused the Trump White House of concealing Jeffrey Epstein-related files and threatened to decommission a key NASA spacecraft, posted a heart emoji in response to a resurfaced video clip of Trump offering kind words about their past relationship.
“We had a great relationship and I wish him well — very well, actually,” Trump said in the video, originally posted by X user ALX and later boosted by Musk’s emoji response.
From Praise to Fallout in Days
The apparent thaw follows a dramatic escalation in tensions between the SpaceX CEO and the 45th President. Although previously seen as close allies—Musk even referred to Trump as a “First Buddy” in jest—their relationship publicly unravelled last week.
The rift began to widen after Musk’s critical remarks during a “CBS Sunday Morning” interview in late May. The billionaire lambasted the One Big Beautiful Bill Act—Trump’s flagship spending proposal—for its $3 trillion impact on the U.S. deficit.
Days later, Musk doubled down on social media, branding the legislation “pork-filled” and a “disgusting abomination,” and calling on Republican lawmakers to “kill the bill.”
Musk Goes ‘Nuclear’ Over NASA and Epstein Files
The feud reached its peak on June 5 when Musk claimed credit for Trump’s 2024 re-election victory and accused the White House of suppressing information related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The posts, made on X, were later deleted, but not before they sparked media firestorms.
Adding fuel to the fire, Musk criticised Trump’s decision to withdraw Jared Isaacman’s nomination as NASA Administrator.
Isaacman is a personal friend and business ally of Musk, whose company SpaceX currently holds the federal government’s primary contract for human spaceflight via its Dragon spacecraft.
In retaliation, Trump labelled Musk “crazy” and suggested he had “lost his mind.” He even hinted at reconsidering the federal contracts awarded to Musk’s companies—Tesla, SpaceX, and Neuralink among them.
Signs of a Truce? Musk Amplifies Pro-Trump Messages
Despite their harsh exchange, Musk has recently shown signs of warming up again to the Trump camp.
Over the weekend, Musk shared a screengrab of a Truth Social post in which Trump lashed out at California leadership for its handling of riots in Los Angeles.
“Governor Gavin Newscum [sic] and ‘Mayor’ [Karen] Bass should apologize to the people of Los Angeles for the absolutely horrible job that they’ve done,” Trump wrote. “This now includes the ongoing L.A. riots.”
In a further sign of alignment, Musk also reposted a message from Vice President JD Vance, who declared a no-tolerance policy toward the violence erupting in Southern California.
“This moment calls for decisive leadership,” Vance said. “The president will not tolerate rioting and violence.”
Behind the Scenes: What’s Next for Musk-Trump Dynamics?
Political analysts speculate that both figures, once unlikely allies united by anti-establishment rhetoric, are weighing the cost-benefit of continued conflict. For Musk, whose companies rely heavily on federal partnerships, reconciliation may serve as a strategic business interest, according to Nypost
For Trump, repairing ties with the tech mogul could provide leverage in courting centrist and libertarian-leaning voters ahead of the 2026 midterms, where control of Congress hangs in the balance.
While Trump hasn’t explicitly offered an olive branch, Musk’s public gestures suggest he may be ready to move beyond last week’s hostilities, whether that sentiment is mutual remains to be seen.
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