Billionaire tech mogul Elon Musk on Wednesday issued a rare expression of regret over his recent scathing remarks about U.S. President Donald Trump, signaling an unexpected shift in the escalating feud between the once-close allies—a clash that has dominated headlines and captivated political observers across the nation for nearly a week.
“I regret some of my posts about President @realDonaldTrump last week. They went too far,” Musk posted on his social media platform, X.
The apology comes days after Trump issued a stark warning to Musk, threatening “serious consequences” if the Tesla and SpaceX CEO pursued efforts to undermine Republican lawmakers who support a contentious government spending bill currently being debated in Congress.
The high-profile rift between the two powerful figures—Trump, a returning Republican president, and Musk, the world’s richest man and once a top political backer—erupted last week after Musk lambasted the administration’s proposed legislation, branding it an “abomination” and a potential blight on Trump’s legacy if passed.
Some Republican lawmakers opposed to the bill reportedly urged Musk to finance primary challenges against their pro-bill colleagues.
This suggestion seemingly fueled Trump’s fury, prompting his veiled threat during an NBC News interview, in which he labeled Musk “disrespectful” and declared he had “no intention of speaking to him.”
“He’ll have to pay very serious consequences if he does that,” Trump warned, without elaborating.
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Despite this escalating war of words, Musk’s latest message appears to signal a desire to de-escalate tensions. While he didn’t specify which of his posts he regretted, the timing suggests it could be related to a particularly explosive claim Musk made during the spat—one linking Trump to the late Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender.
In a since-deleted post, Musk alleged: “Time to drop the really big bomb: (Trump) is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public.” Musk provided no evidence to support the accusation. The claim followed the unsealing of court documents in early 2024 that included Trump’s name, though he has not been accused of any wrongdoing in connection to the case.
The dispute marks a stunning reversal in their relationship. Just weeks earlier, Musk had exited his advisory position at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)—a role created to symbolically champion budgetary discipline—with warm praise from Trump. But relations soured quickly, with Musk accusing the administration of betrayal and ungratefulness.
“Without me, Trump would have lost the election,” Musk fumed in a post on X. “Dems would control the House and the Republicans would be 51-49 in the Senate… Such ingratitude.”
Trump counterpunched by suggesting slashing government contracts and subsidies awarded to Musk’s companies, which some estimates put at $18 billion. “That would be the easiest way to save the government money,” he wrote on his platform, Truth Social.
However, by Friday, signs of a détente began to emerge. Speaking to reporters, Trump downplayed the fallout, saying, “I just wish him well.” Musk responded shortly after with a mirrored sentiment: “Likewise.”