Musk retreats from Trump feud after phone calls broker peace

Musk retreats from Trump feud after phone calls broker peace

Elon Musk publicly walked back his recent attacks on US President Donald Trump after a series of behind-the-scenes phone calls between the two camps helped ease tensions. According to people familiar with the matter, US Vice President JD Vance and White House chief of staff Susie Wiles played key roles in brokering the truce after Musk’s dramatic split with Trump had threatened to derail one of the most consequential relationships in U.S. politics, the Wall Street Journal reported.

The public de-escalation followed a call between Musk and Trump on Monday—their first conversation since the fallout—and an earlier call on Friday in which Vance and Wiles urged Musk to halt the feud. "I regret some of my posts about President @realDonaldTrump last week," Musk posted on X early Wednesday. "They went too far."

How the feud erupted and spread

Tensions between Musk and Trump burst into public view on June 5. The falling out came days after Musk distanced himself as a close adviser to Trump, triggering a rift in what had previously been a highly influential partnership. The immediate spark was Musk’s criticism of Trump’s signature tax bill, which prompted Trump to publicly accuse Musk of suffering from “Trump derangement syndrome.”

Musk, who has spent hundreds of millions of dollars supporting Trump’s re-election, responded by accusing the president of ingratitude, claiming Trump owed his political success in part to Musk’s backing. The dispute intensified further when Musk posted unsubstantiated claims on X linking Trump to documents from the federal investigation into convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein—posts Musk later deleted.

During the public clash, Trump warned that terminating federal contracts with Musk’s companies would be “the easiest way to save money” in the federal budget. The remarks triggered an immediate reaction in financial markets. Tesla shares plunged 14% that day, wiping more than $150 billion from the company’s market value—the largest one-day loss in its history. Though Tesla’s stock has since recovered much of the loss, the episode left investors rattled.

Behind-the-scenes push to de-escalate

Recognizing the damage caused by the feud, key Trump allies quietly moved to engineer a reconciliation. Vice President Vance played a central role, according to people familiar with the talks. Notably, Vance maintained a low public profile during the spat, refraining from directly criticizing Musk, which helped preserve his credibility as an intermediary. White House chief of staff Susie Wiles also participated in the effort to mend the relationship.

The Friday phone call between Vance, Wiles, and Musk set the stage for the Monday conversation between Trump and Musk, which proved pivotal in cooling tensions. The New York Times first reported the Musk-Trump call. By midweek, both camps were signalling a softer tone. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Wednesday that the president “acknowledged” Musk’s public statement of regret and appreciated it.

Trump signals willingness to reconcile

Trump himself appeared to open the door to repairing the relationship. In an interview with the New York Post on Monday, the president expressed disappointment over Musk’s tax bill criticism but struck a forgiving note. “Things like that happen, I don’t blame him for anything,” Trump said.

Sources close to the negotiations suggest that both sides see value in restoring a working relationship, particularly given Musk’s influence in tech and space sectors and Trump’s interest in maintaining broad support among business leaders.

Outlook remains uncertain

While Musk’s public retreat may help stabilize relations in the near term, underlying tensions between the two remain. The episode underscored how quickly the dynamic between Trump and Musk—once allies—can veer into public confrontation. Moreover, the sharp stock market reaction highlighted how political volatility around Musk can impact the valuation of his companies.

For now, both camps appear intent on preserving a fragile truce. Whether that holds through the election cycle and beyond remains to be seen.