The White House confirmed Wednesday that former President Donald Trump is “appreciative” after Elon Musk publicly expressed regret over his recent criticisms of the former president.
In a post shared on X earlier in the day, Musk wrote, “I regret some of my posts about President Trump last week. They went too far.” The apology follows a series of tense exchanges between Musk and Trump, during which the Tesla and SpaceX CEO openly criticized Trump’s policies and made controversial remarks, some of which he later deleted.
According to White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt, Trump acknowledged Musk’s gesture and welcomed the conciliatory tone. “President Trump is appreciative of Mr. Musk’s comments,” she said during a press briefing, adding that the former president had no plans to take punitive action against Musk’s companies.
The tension between the two high-profile figures had escalated after Musk, who has served as an informal adviser on government innovation, sharply criticized Trump’s proposed tax legislation and hinted at supporting a political alternative to the Republican front-runner. Trump responded by accusing Musk of suffering from “Trump derangement syndrome” and suggesting a review of his federal contracts.
Following Musk’s public apology, reports surfaced that he had privately spoken with Trump earlier this week, reportedly encouraged by intermediaries close to the administration, including Vice President JD Vance.
Tesla shares, which had seen a decline amid the controversy, showed signs of recovery following the news of reconciliation.
The White House did not elaborate on whether the apology would restore Musk’s standing within Trump’s inner political circle but emphasized that the administration is focused on “moving forward.”
