The White House has dispelled speculation about a potential reconciliation between Donald Trump and Elon Musk following their recent heated exchange, emphasizing that the U.S. president has no intention of contacting his former aide on Friday.
Trump made further criticisms of Musk, who was born in South Africa, following a surprising argument that dismantled a partnership that lacked a solid foundation. He claimed that the businessman had “lost his mind.”
In a sign of the deteriorating relationship, the president is contemplating selling or donating a Tesla vehicle he purchased to demonstrate his support for Musk during protests against the company.
The political alliance collapsed on Thursday amidst a fiery dispute, during which the president threatened to strip the billionaire of significant government contracts after Musk criticized a massive budget bill that Trump is seeking to pass in Congress.
In remarks broadcast from the Oval Office, Trump expressed that he was “very disappointed” after his former aide, a major donor, criticized the spending bill under consideration. Trump describes the proposed legislation as “big and beautiful,” while Musk sees it as a “disgusting abomination.”
Reports indicated that Musk and Trump might have a phone conversation on Friday in an attempt to mend their rift; however, the White House refuted this possibility.
When asked about the likelihood of a conversation, a senior White House official, speaking anonymously, stated to AFP, “The president does not plan to talk to Musk today.”
Earlier on Friday, during a phone interview with ABC, Trump asserted that he was “not interested” in speaking with Musk.
According to the network, Trump remarked, “Are you talking about the guy who lost his mind?”
Once having referred to Musk as a “genius,” Trump called him “crazy” in a social media post on Thursday.
The dispute could have significant political and economic implications, as Tesla’s shares, owned by Musk, have severely declined, and he has vowed to halt a critical U.S. space program.
The White House called for a private meeting on Thursday to discuss how to handle the ongoing crisis with Musk.
Meanwhile, Trump may relinquish the red Tesla he acquired from Musk’s company when their relationship was at its peak; as of Friday, the electric car was still parked at the White House.
When asked by AFP if Trump might sell or donate the vehicle, the senior White House official confirmed, “Yes, he is considering it.”
Photographs captured Trump and Musk inside the car during a bizarre event in March when Trump transformed the White House into a Tesla showroom after protests against Musk’s governmental role led to a decline in Tesla’s stock.
For some time, there have been speculations about the sustainability of their relationship due to their personalities, which both emphasize self-promotion; however, the abrupt breakdown was unexpected.
The clash intensified when Musk mentioned that Trump’s name “comes up in Epstein’s files,” referring to government documents regarding the billionaire who committed suicide in his jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial. His death has sparked numerous conspiracy theories.
The ongoing tension concerning tax and spending policies remained latent until Musk publicly criticized Trump’s core plan, arguing it would increase the deficit.
Musk has even launched polls to gauge interest in forming a new political party, which poses a significant threat from an individual who claims to be willing to use his wealth to unseat Republican lawmakers who oppose him.