In a surprising turn of tone, President Donald Trump offered praise for tech mogul Elon Musk during a White House event Wednesday, signaling that a reconciliation between the two influential figures may be on the horizon.
Speaking alongside Apple CEO Tim Cook and several senior cabinet officials, Trump was asked by reporters about a recent Gallup poll that ranked Musk among the most unpopular public figures in America. The inquiry touched on their widely publicized falling-out over the controversial “Big Beautiful Bill,” which Musk strongly opposed.
“I don’t know if the poll is accurate,” Trump responded. “I think he’s a good person. I think he had a bad moment, really bad moment, but he’s a good person. I believe that.”
The comment marks a shift in rhetoric following a fiery exchange between Trump and Musk in June, when Musk publicly criticized the Big Beautiful Bill—a cornerstone of Trump’s second-term agenda—as fiscally irresponsible. Musk cited concerns over rising federal debt and what he described as “insane spending.” Meanwhile, administration insiders claimed Musk’s real frustration stemmed from the bill’s elimination of electric vehicle subsidies championed during the Biden administration.
The feud escalated when Musk, in a now-deleted X post, accused Trump of being linked to Jeffrey Epstein. Musk later apologized, but the damage lingered, with the accusation becoming fodder for Democratic critics.
Despite the tension, Trump’s recent remarks appear to indicate a willingness to move past the dispute. This comes just one day after Musk publicly supported Trump’s controversial call to bring Washington, D.C. under federal management, citing the city’s rising crime rates. The issue gained national attention following the assault of a Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) staffer who had worked under Musk during his brief stint in the Trump administration.
Musk has also floated the idea of forming a third political party—the “America Party”—in response to the Big Beautiful Bill. On Independence Day, he ran a viral poll on X asking users whether they supported breaking away from the “two-party (some would say uniparty) system.” While Musk has yet to take formal steps to launch the party, his growing political involvement continues to stir speculation about his future role in national politics.
Trump’s olive branch could signal strategic recalibration as the 2024 election cycle heats up. Whether Musk will reciprocate remains to be seen, but the groundwork for renewed collaboration—however tentative—appears to be in motion.
