"I Went Too Far": Elon Musk Apologizes to Trump

In a surprising turn of events, billionaire Elon Musk issued a public apology to U.S. President Donald Trump today, acknowledging that some of his recent social media posts targeting the president “went too far.” The apology, posted on Musk’s X account, comes after a week of heated public exchanges that saw the once-close allies clash over a controversial tax and spending bill, in a dramatic unraveling of their high-profile relationship.

The feud erupted last week when Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, criticized Trump’s proposed “One Big Beautiful Bill,” labeling it a “disgusting abomination” that would burden Americans with unsustainable debt. Musk’s posts escalated, including a now-deleted call for Trump’s impeachment and an unsubstantiated claim linking the president to the Jeffrey Epstein files. Trump retaliated, accusing Musk of “wearing thin” and threatening to cancel federal contracts and subsidies for Musk’s companies, which have received billions in government support over the years. The president also reportedly called Musk a “big-time drug addict” in private, according to sources cited by The Washington Post.

By Sunday, signs of de-escalation emerged as Musk deleted his most inflammatory posts and reshared Trump’s Truth Social messages criticizing California officials over Los Angeles riots, signaling a shift in tone.

On Monday, Musk responded with a heart emoji to a clip of Trump wishing him well, further softening the rift. The apology on Wednesday morning appeared to cement Musk’s attempt to mend fences, with the tech mogul stating, “I regret some of my posts about President @realDonaldTrump last week. They went too far.”

The public spat has drawn widespread attention, with analysts noting the high stakes for Musk, whose companies rely heavily on government contracts, including $3 billion across nearly 100 contracts with 17 federal agencies in 2023 alone. Trump’s threats to cut these ties sent shockwaves through the federal bureaucracy, particularly impacting NASA, which depends on SpaceX for critical missions.

The feud also highlighted Trump’s transactional view of the presidency, with the president reportedly feeling personally betrayed by Musk, whom he once praised for his contributions to the 2024 election campaign.

Vice President JD Vance, while defending Trump, expressed hope for reconciliation, calling Musk a “transformational entrepreneur” but warning that his aggressive stance could harm his businesses. Meanwhile, some Democrats, including Representatives Ro Khanna and Ritchie Torres, have seized the opportunity to court Musk, suggesting he aligns more with their party’s values on science and clean technology.

Musk’s father, Errol Musk, attributed the dispute to “months of intense stress” on both sides, urging an end to the public battle. Despite the apology, Trump has not yet publicly responded, and sources indicate he remains uninterested in direct talks, telling NBC News on June 8 that he was “not even thinking about Elon.” Whether this apology will fully repair the relationship or merely pause hostilities remains unclear.

One X user put it well, “Elon’s apology might be a strategic retreat, but the Trump-Musk bromance may never be the same.”

Following Musk's apology, Tesla's stock is rising and is now at $333 per share (pre-market), compared to $285 at the time of Musk's previous statements against Trump. Overall, Tesla's stock has risen by about 18% since the crisis between Musk and Trump began.