Hey, hear something you didn’t anticipate hearing—Elon Musk taking a step back and offering Donald Trump essentially an olive branch. Yeah, really. After months (ahem, years) of exchange-by-exchange internet and media trash talk, Musk now states he might have crossed the line by publicly shaming the ex- and possibly future—President.
In a shocking aside in an interview this week, Musk conceded that his very public spats with Trump may not have been his finest moment. He didn’t exactly apologize, but let’s just say it’s the nearest to a peace offering the billionaire has made in quite a while now.
Read this later:
Can federal judges strike down birthright citizenship access reform that Trump wants?
The effect avian flu known as H5N1 can have on egg prices
From clashes to caution
If you’ve been keeping track of their beef, you’ll understand that Musk and Trump haven’t exactly been the best of friends. Trump’s called Musk “another bullshit artist,” and Musk’s retorted that Trump’s “too old” to seek office again. It’s been the kind of exchange you’d expect from two extremely public, extremely powerful individuals who hate being upstaged.
But now Musk is confessing that he wishes he hadn’t let it get so hot. “I probably should have been more neutral,” he said to the interviewer. “Perhaps I did overstep.” That’s an extremely difficult thing to do, especially for someone who’s usually more likely to double down than to back off.
Why the Change?
So why the switch? It might perhaps have something to do with the political climate heading into 2024. Musk has flat-out said that he doesn’t necessarily identify with either party, but he’s also set himself up as leaning right more recently. He’s publicly been a critic of the Biden administration, especially where EV policies and union issues are involved. Meanwhile, he’s tried to position himself and his businesses, especially X (formerly Twitter), as havens for “free speech,” which appeals to Trump voters.
Short answer: Musk may be realizing that war with Trump is not good for business, especially when so much is at risk politically and financially.
Trump’s response?
Trump himself has been silent so far, but based on history, it is only a matter of time. And the question is whether he goes high (not going to happen) or seizes the moment to salt wounds.
That being said, if Musk is walking this back, then it would mark the end of one of the quirkiest billionaire/ex-president feuds in recent history.
What does it mean going forward
This could be the start of a new era of politics between tech giants and politicians, especially with Musk exerting greater political clout. From his social media empire to his stance on free speech or his hypothetical vision of AI and space exploration, Musk is shaping policy wording in the here and now.
And if he’s choosing to soften his tone toward Trump, it’s worth paying attention to. It could mean a new kind of relationship is forming—one that’s more strategic than emotional.
So, who knows? Maybe we’ve seen the last of the Twitter slap-fights. Or maybe this is just a calm before the next storm. Either way, it looks like the Musk–Trump feud is cooling down, for now.
Read now:
