Trump shrugs off possible reconciliation with Musk
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Elon Musk listens as President Trump speaks to reporters in the Oval Office of the White House on May 30. Photo: Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
President Trump said he assumes his relationship with Elon Musk has ended and that he has no desire to repair it after the pair publicly fell out last week.
- "I think it's a shame that he's so depressed and so heartbroken," Trump said of the billionaire in a phone call with NBC News' Kristen Welker.
The big picture: Trump's comments also came with a warning to Musk when the president said the Tesla CEO could face "serious consequences" should he fund Democratic candidates in the next election running against Republicans who vote for Trump's "big, beautiful bill."
- The billionaire, who contributed more than $290 million to Republicans in the 2024 election but has since said he'd cut back on political spending, posted last week that politicians "who betrayed the American people" should be fired in November.
- Trump declined to elaborate on what the consequences would be for Musk.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said in a Sunday interview on ABC's "This Week" that it would be a "big mistake" for Musk to go after Republicans who vote for the bill.
Driving the news: Trump said he has no plans to speak to the Tesla CEO during the Saturday phone interview with Welker.
- Asked if he thought his relationship with Musk was over, Trump said he "would assume so."
- He accused the once-close administration ally of being "disrespectful to the office of the President."
Catch up quick: The alliance between Trump and the former chainsaw-wielding face of DOGE exploded last week as Musk continuously campaigned against the massive tax-and-spending package, blasting it as a "disgusting abomination."
- Speaking to reporters during an Oval Office appearance alongside German Chancellor Friedrich Merz Thursday, Trump said he was "very disappointed" in Musk, who he claimed was very familiar with the inner workings of the legislation.
- While Trump talked, Musk fired back in real-time on X, claiming in one post that Trump would have lost the election without him.
Zoom in: In one post that appears to have been deleted, Musk accused the president of being "in the Epstein files." Trump told NBC that it's "old news."
The other side: Trump, in a post on Truth Social last week, said the "easiest way" to save money in the budget would be to "terminate Elon's Governmental Subsidies and Contracts."
- Trump told NBC News he'd be "allowed to do that" but hadn't "given it any thought."
Go deeper: How Trump and Musk's relationship exploded in real time over X, Truth Social
