New Delhi: Months after a bitter public falling-out, US President Donald Trump appears to be extending an olive branch to Elon Musk, suggesting the Tesla CEO has “no choice” but to return to the Republican Party.
Speaking on The Scott Jennings Show in an interview recorded Tuesday, Trump acknowledged past tensions but offered largely conciliatory remarks toward his former ally.
“I don’t think he has a choice,” Trump said, framing Musk’s political future as a choice between the Republican Party and “radical left lunatics.”
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While their relationship soured earlier this year, Trump described Musk as a “good man” who had temporarily lost his way.
“He got off the reservation, incorrectly, and that’s okay, because, you know, it’s just one of those things,” Trump said, adding, “He’s 80 per cent super genius, and then 20 per cent he’s got some problems. And when he works out the 20 per cent, he’ll be great, but he’s got some difficulty.”
From Allies To Adversaries
Trump’s comments mark a notable shift in tone following a highly public spat between the two men in early 2025. Musk, once a prominent backer of Trump and a special appointee to head the Department of Government Efficiency (Doge), became a vocal critic of Trump’s flagship legislation, the One Big Beautiful Bill, which aimed to overhaul federal taxation and spending.
Musk slammed the bill as a “disgusting abomination”, arguing it would balloon the national deficit by trillions of dollars and undermine his cost-cutting reforms. His criticism of the legislation, which also phased out key electric vehicle tax credits benefiting Tesla, signalled a sharp policy divide.
The rift deepened when Musk publicly floated the idea of launching a third party, dubbed The America Party, and later made unverified allegations regarding Trump’s name appearing in unreleased Jeffrey Epstein files.
In response, Trump threatened to revoke Musk’s government contracts and subsidies, triggering an intense standoff between two of the most influential figures in American politics and business.
Reconciliation In Progress?
Despite the acrimony, both men have reportedly taken steps in recent months to ease tensions. Trump’s latest remarks suggest he now views Musk’s return to the Republican fold as both inevitable and desirable, though not without reservations about the billionaire’s unpredictability.
As of now, Musk has not publicly responded to Trump’s latest comments.