The public dispute between U.S. President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk, which erupted over disagreements surrounding a proposed U.S. bill, appears to be calming down, according to a report this morning (Friday) by Politico.
“It’s going great, never been better,” said Trump after a day of clashes with Musk on social media. White House aides have been working to persuade the president to tone down his public criticism of Musk to avoid further escalation. According to the report, the two are expected to meet today, with aides hoping to help broker a compromise.
The Trump Bill That Sparked the Clash
The source of the tension was a bill introduced by Trump that forms a key part of his presidential agenda, including tax cuts and immigration reforms. Musk opposed the legislation due to its expected cost, which could increase the national deficit by $2.4 trillion.
According to the president, Musk’s opposition stems from a series of Trump administration actions that negatively impacted Tesla, the company Musk owns.
As mentioned, while Trump initially leveled sharp criticism at Musk, his tone softened following the intervention of White House aides, who urged him to focus on advancing the legislation rather than escalating the conflict.
Following their intervention, Trump adopted a more restrained approach and wrote in one of his posts: “I don’t mind that Elon turned against me, but he should have done it months ago.” He also noted that the bill is one of the most significant ever submitted to Congress. Musk, for his part, did not oppose reconciliation and replied supportively: “You’re not wrong.”
