NEW YORK — The recent verbal clash between two of the most influential figures on the global stage, President Donald Trump and billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, has subsided somewhat but leaves uncertainty about future relations between them.
Elon Musk expressed regret via social media platform X on Wednesday regarding some of his previous posts concerning President Trump. “I regret some of my posts about President @realDonaldTrump last week. They went too far,” Musk stated.
President Trump, during a podcast interview with the New York Post, downplayed the disagreement stating, “Things like that happen. I don’t blame him for anything.” The previous clash had threatened Musk’s rapport with the White House, impacting his business interests. At the same time, for Trump, the disagreement was an unwelcome distraction as he focused on key issues such as tax legislation, international peace negotiations, and addressing domestic unrest.
The feud had noticeable financial repercussions. On Thursday, Tesla’s stock suffered a sharp decline of over 14%, losing $150 billion in market value. Although Tesla shares gradually bounced back in subsequent trading days, investor confidence remains shaky as they seek stronger reassurance of resolved tensions. Tesla closed with a slight increase of 0.1% at $326.43.
Political discomfort was prevalent too. By Friday, Vice President JD Vance and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles intervened, reportedly calling Musk to urge the cessation of his public feud with Trump. Notably, these discussions, as per informed sources desiring anonymity, were initially disclosed by the Wall Street Journal.
Investors in Tesla anticipated regulatory easing under Trump’s administration for Musk’s ambitious self-driving vehicles. With plans for a “robotaxi” trial slated in Austin, Texas, this month, timing seemed critical. Musk, on a later post, mentioned June 22 as a tentative date for launching this service.
However, with the conflict looming, concerns grew over potential governmental retaliation. There were speculations Trump might leverage federal safety regulations against Musk’s initiatives. At one juncture, Trump even hinted at withdrawing government finances impacting Musk’s diverse enterprises, including SpaceX.
Prior to apologizing, Musk had deleted an earlier post accusing the government of withholding information regarding Trump’s alleged ties to Jeffrey Epstein. Despite the controversy of these claims, other contentious posts remained active, such as criticisms labeling a spending bill an “abomination” and assertions claiming credit for Trump’s election success.
Inquiries about potential reconciliation surfaced during a pre-recorded podcast for the Post. Trump’s reply was measured, saying, “I guess I could but, you know, we have to straighten out the country and my sole function now is getting this country back to a level higher than it’s ever been and I think we can do that.”
This stance reflected an altered tone from Trump’s earlier interview on NBC with Kristen Welker where he showed little interest in mending ties and threatened Musk with unspecified “serious consequences” should he support Democrats in future elections.
Overall, while recent developments have brought a temporary calm, the future of Trump and Musk’s relationship remains uncertain, leaving both political and business landscapes watchful of how this high-profile narrative will unfold.