Washington D.C. [US], June 11: Tech mogul Elon Musk has expressed regret over his controversial comments targeting former U.S. President Donald Trump, admitting on X (formerly Twitter) that some of his recent posts “went too far.”
“I regret some of my posts about President @realDonaldTrump last week. They went too far,” Musk wrote on Saturday.
Musk–Trump Rift Deepens
Musk’s apology comes as tensions between the two powerful figures reached new heights. In a phone interview with NBC News, Trump warned that Musk would face “serious consequences” if he continues to fund Democratic candidates opposing Republicans who support Trump’s newly passed budget bill.
“If he does, he’ll have to pay the consequences for that. Very serious consequences,” Trump stated, declining to elaborate further.
Trump added that he has no intention of reconciling with Musk. When asked if the relationship was over, Trump responded:
“I would assume so, yeah… I’m too busy doing other things.”
Accusations Fly Over Epstein, Spending & Loyalty
The spat escalated after Musk posted—and later deleted—a tweet referencing Trump’s alleged links to deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, calling for impeachment and criticizing Trump’s tariff agenda as recession-inducing.
Trump dismissed the Epstein reference as “old news,” asserting that even Epstein’s lawyer had cleared him of involvement.
“You could not disrespect the office of the President,” Trump remarked, accusing Musk of disloyalty.
Musk, who briefly served under Trump as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) during the early presidency, has since criticized Trump’s massive spending bill.
Trump Threatens to Pull Government Contracts
In retaliation, Trump floated the idea of canceling federal contracts and subsidies for Musk’s companies like Tesla and SpaceX, saying:
“The easiest way to save money in our Budget… is to terminate Elon’s Governmental Subsidies and Contracts.”
He clarified that he hadn’t acted on the threat—yet:
“I haven’t given it any thought, but I’d be allowed to do that.”
Fallout From a Former Alliance
Once a major financial backer of Trump—reportedly spending over $250 million in swing states—Musk is now in open conflict with the former president.
Trump, however, believes the feud helped raise awareness of his legislation:
“I think Elon brought out the strengths of the bill… But I think it’s a shame he’s so depressed and heartbroken.”
The rift comes at a pivotal moment, as Trump’s controversial budget bill—featuring military hikes and sweeping tax cuts—narrowly passed in the House last month, facing unified Democratic opposition and dissent from just three Republican lawmakers.