Elon Musk has admitted that some of his recent social media attacks on US President Donald Trump “went too far,” marking a notable retreat after a heated online feud between the two.
Just days after stepping down as head of the White House’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Musk traded barbs with Trump, criticising the president’s proposed “Big Beautiful Bill” as a major setback to DOGE reforms.
The clash escalated on X, with Musk backing calls for Trump’s impeachment, branding him ungrateful for previous support, and even suggesting the president was linked to Jeffrey Epstein. He also warned that Trump’s tariff strategy could trigger a recession. Most of these posts have since been deleted.
The fallout was swift. Trump fired back, dismissing any chance of mending ties and accusing Musk of disrespecting the presidency. The timing was critical—violent protests over immigration raids in Los Angeles appeared to pressure Musk into a recalibration.
By midweek, Musk subtly pivoted, showing renewed alignment with the administration. He reposted a message from Vice President JD Vance stating the president “will not tolerate rioting and violence,” adding American flag emojis. Musk also shared a screenshot from Trump’s Truth Social, in which the president demanded apologies from California’s governor and LA’s mayor.
In a media interview, Vance extended an olive branch, saying: “The president is a little frustrated but he’s actually been restrained because he doesn’t want to be in some blood feud with Elon Musk. I think if Elon chills out a little bit everything will be fine.” Musk’s response? A curt “cool.”
On Wednesday morning, Musk posted an explicit mea culpa: “I regret some of my posts about President @realDonaldTrump last week. They went too far.”
Asked on Tuesday whether he’d be open to a conversation with the tech billionaire, Trump replied: “I haven’t really thought about it actually. I would imagine he wants to speak to me. I would think so, if I were him I’d want to speak to me.”
He added, with typical bravado: “And maybe he already called… ask him whether or not he’s already called.” The president clarified he wouldn’t oppose a phone call if Musk were to reach out.
