Elon Musk says his Trump attacks “went too far”
Elon Musk said on Wednesday he regrets a series of social media posts attacking US President Donald Trump, suggesting a potential truce in what had become one of the most volatile public splats between two of the Republican party’s most powerful influencers.
“I regret some of my posts about President Donald Trump last week. They went too far”, Musk wrote on his own platform, X.
The billionaire and controversial chief executive did not specify which posts he was referring to, but last week’s (now deleted) messages included support for impeaching Trump and references to the President’s relationship with the late financier and sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein.
The change in tone from Musk appears to have eased investor nerves, with Tesla’s shares rising 2.6 per cent in per-market trading following Musk’s announcement.
Musk-Trump fallout
The tensions had erupted after Musk lashed out against Trump’s sweeping tax and spending bill, calling it a “digusting abomination”.
The public fallout stunned many in the Rebulican party, esepcially given Musk’s past financial support of Trump’s campaign and their once-frequent meetings.
Trump responded sharply, declaring the relationship “over” during an interview over the weekend.
“I was not a happy camper”, he said, though he added he held “no hard feelings” and that reconciliation was possible: “I guess I could”.
‘Strategic de-escalation’
Behind the scenes, sources close to Musk said the Tesla and SpaceX chief has grown concerned about the potential business ramifications of alienating the President and his support, reported Reuters.
This is especially true with Tesla navigating regulatory scrutiny and seeking favourable treatment in future energy policy.
“The conciliatory tone from Musk might indicate his desire to protect his businesses”, said Mamta Valechta, consumer analyst at Tesla investor Quilter Cheviot. “The stakes are high when your customers – and your regulators – might align with your political enemies”.
Analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown Matt Britzman, also added: “This de-escalation appears strategic. It looks like both parties are walking it back, at least for now”.
The public infighting has triggered alarm within Republican ranks, where lawmakers fear the feud could derail the party’s broader legislative agenda, particularly its major tax and border package.
“I hope that eventually Elon comes back into the fold”, US Vice Presient JD Vance had said in an interview. “Maybe it’s not possible now because he’s gone so nuclear”.
Other republicans, like Senator Mike Lee and Dan Newhouse, also pleaded for calm: “Who else wants Elon Musk and Donald Trump to reconcile?”, Lee posted on X.
Even conservative commentator Sean Hannity said: “It got personal very quick. But I think this will blow over. It’s just a major policy difference”.
Trump “is the leader of the party”
Despite these efforts, the power dynamic within the party remains clear.
House speaker Mike Johnson warned that Musk must not underestimate the ruler of the White House. “He is the leader of the party,” he said. “He’s the most consequential political figure of this generation and probably the modern era.”
For now, it remains unclear whether the two will reconcile directly, with Trump showing little interest in talking to Musk and saying as recently as friday: “You mean the mean who has lost his mind?”
Still, Trump said this week he “wished (Musk) well” a subtle but hopeful shift in tone.
Whether Musk’s olive branch attempt marks the end of this powerhouse feud or merely becomes a tactical pause is yet to be seen.
But for a figure whose firms rely on a matrix of government incentives, the apology may be less about their relationship, and more about a tactical retreat.
“It’s good for the party and the country if all that’s woked out”. said Johnson.