Days after a dramatic falling out, Elon Musk on Wednesday said he regrets his criticism of US President Donald Trump, signalling a possible de-escalation in their increasingly tense feud.
Taking to his social media platform X, Musk wrote: "I regret some of my posts about President @realDonaldTrump last week. They went too far."
The alliance between Trump and Musk -- a political marriage always destined to explode -- crashed in full public view last week, and at a speed that’s taken even close observers by surprise.
The row went nuclear, with Musk slinging insults at Trump and accusing him of being in government files on disgraced financier and Jeffrey Epstein, who died by suicide in 2019 while he faced sex trafficking charges.
Trump eventually hit back with the power of the US government behind him, saying he could cancel the Space X boss's multi-billion-dollar rocket and satellite contracts.
Musk later deleted the post linking the US President with Epstein.
Trump and Musk -- How it unravelled?
The wheels feel off with Musk criticising the centerpiece of Trump’s legislative agenda as an "abomination" which the president initially brushed off. But, Trump eventually let slip his disappointment in Musk.
"I'm very disappointed in Elon. I've helped Elon a lot... Elon and I had a great relationship. I don't know if we will anymore." he told reporters in the Oval Office as visiting German Chancellor Friedrich Merz looked on.
A hurt-sounding Trump, 78, noted in a 10-minute diatribe that it had been only a week since he hosted a farewell for Musk as he left the cost-cutting Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
The clash spiralled into a spectacular public break-up, with Musk lashing out on X and Trump hitting back on Truth Social, raising political and economic stakes on both sides.
The Tesla and Space X CEO accused Trump of betraying promises to cut federal spending, shared a suggestion that the president should be impeached and claimed that the government was concealing information about his association with Epstein.
"Time to drop the really big bomb: @realDonaldTrump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public. Have a nice day, DJT!" Musk wrote on X.
Musk did not reveal which files he was talking about and offered no evidence for his claim. He initially doubled down on the claim, writing in a follow-up message: "Mark this post for the future. The truth will come out."
Musk deleted both tweets by Saturday morning.
Perhaps most viciously, the business tycoon insisted that Trump wouldn’t have won last year’s election without his help and slammed the US President for "ingratitude."
Trump, not one to slouch from a fight, could hold back no longer. He posted that Musk had been "wearing thin," that he had "asked him to leave" his administration, that the tech titan had "gone CRAZY."
The US President threatened, he should save taxpayer money by cancelling government contracts and subsidies for Musk’s companies.
Later on Saturday, Trump warned Elon with "serious consequences" if the tech billionaire sought to punish Republicans who vote for his controversial spending bill.
Some lawmakers who were against the bill had called on Musk to fund primary challenges against Republicans who voted for the legislation.
"He'll have to pay very serious consequences if he does that," Trump, who also branded Musk "disrespectful," told NBC News on Saturday, without specifying what those consequences would be.
Trump also said he had "no" desire to repair his relationship with the South African-born Tesla and SpaceX chief, and that he has "no intention of speaking to him."
Trump and Epstein -- What we know?
The Trump administration has said it is reviewing tens of thousands of documents, videos and investigative material that his 'MAGA' movement says will unmask public figures complicit in Epstein's crimes.
Supporters on the conspiratorial end of Trump's "Make America Great Again" base allege that Epstein's associates had their roles in his crimes covered up by government officials and others.
They point the finger at Democrats and Hollywood celebrities, although not at Trump himself. No official source has ever confirmed that the president appears in any of the as yet unreleased material.
Trump was named in a trove of deposition and statements linked to Epstein that were unsealed by a New York judge in early 2024. The president has not been accused of any wrongdoing in the case.
Trump knew and socialised with Epstein but has denied spending time on Little Saint James, the private redoubt in the US Virgin Islands where prosecutors alleged Epstein trafficked underage girls for sex.
"Terrific guy," Trump, who was Epstein's neighbour in both Florida and New York, said in an early 2000s profile of the financier.
"He's a lot of fun to be with. It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side."
