Trump-Musk feud cools down after Oval Office tensions, online threats
2 Min Read
After a day of high-profile threats and online clashes, signs emerged that the Trump-Musk feud may be de-escalating, with reports of a scheduled call and softened rhetoric from both sides.
-
Tesla CEO Elon Musk and US President Donald Trump at the White House in this undated photo(AP)
Signs of de-escalation emerged Thursday night in the ongoing Trump-Musk feud, which had earlier flared into a public exchange of threats and accusations. Just hours after US President Donald Trump warned of canceling federal contracts with Elon Musk's companies, and Musk suggested the president should be impeached, both parties appeared to soften their tones.
The White House reportedly scheduled a phone call between Trump and Musk for Friday, according to Politico, which spoke briefly with the president on Thursday evening. “Oh it’s okay,” Trump told the outlet. “It’s going very well, never done better.”
The feud was sparked by Musk’s criticism of a major legislative effort by the Trump administration. He described what Trump had promoted as “one big, beautiful bill” as a “disgusting abomination.”
In turn, Trump threatened to sever government contracts with Musk’s companies, including those involving SpaceX.
The confrontation raised concerns over the fate of key aerospace projects. Among them is the Dragon spacecraft program, which is critical to NASA operations and has been central to the partnership between SpaceX and the US government.
White House confirms ongoing communication and past Oval Office meeting
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt addressed the incident on Fox News' “Hannity,” emphasizing that the administration remains focused on delivering the controversial legislation. She reiterated that Musk had praised Trump’s leadership during an Oval Office meeting the previous Friday.
“Last Friday, the president graciously hosted Elon Musk in the Oval Office,” she told Fox’s Sean Hannity. “Elon thanked the president for his incredible leadership to cut waste, fraud, and abuse in our government, which this one big, beautiful bill does.”
Leavitt added that while Musk may be speaking for his companies as a businessman, Trump, as president, is acting in the national interest.
Musk also appeared to temper his rhetoric later Thursday. After a user on X commented that the feud was a "shame" and urged both sides to "take a step back," the Tesla and SpaceX CEO replied, “Good advice. Ok, we won't decommission Dragon.”
