After days of pointed public attacks against Donald Trump, Elon Musk reportedly called the former president to apologize — a move that signals a possible truce, at least for now.
The tech billionaire admitted on Wednesday that his posts “went too far,” marking a sudden and unexpected pivot after one of the week’s most watched digital feuds. But the apology wasn’t entirely spontaneous — behind the scenes, there was pressure from top Republican figures.
A Surprise Apology and a Carefully Worded Walkback
Musk’s post on X came out of the blue. Short. Blunt. No hashtags. No links.
“I regret some of my posts about President @realDonaldTrump last week. They went too far,” he wrote.
Just like that, a week of unusually sharp criticisms — including accusations of “ingratitude,” digs at Trump’s legislative style, and even unsubstantiated mentions tied to Epstein documents — appeared to fizzle into an awkward walkback.
The call itself happened Monday night, June 9, according to two sources who spoke to ABC News. Musk apparently made the call personally, after nudging from White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and Vice President JD Vance, both of whom had reportedly reached out earlier to cool tensions.
GOP Pushback and Behind-the-Scenes Mediation
This wasn’t a solo decision. Republican insiders were getting anxious.
JD Vance, one of Trump’s staunchest allies, was among those who reached out to Musk directly. His message, according to someone briefed on the conversation, was clear: tone it down.
The White House also stepped in. Susie Wiles, the president’s senior adviser and chief of staff, had a quiet word with Musk last week — urging him to stop the spiral before it became something bigger. The concern wasn’t just political optics, but also the potential fallout on key federal contracts that link the administration to Musk’s empire.
It’s unclear if the call changed everything. But it did lead to a pause.
One-liner moments like this make everything feel up in the air again.
What Musk Actually Posted (And Didn’t Delete)
Even after the apology, none of Musk’s controversial posts were removed from X. That alone is telling.
Here are some of the statements that triggered backlash and concern:
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Claimed Trump was “ungrateful” toward tech leaders who supported him in 2016
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Retweeted calls for impeachment over “abuse of office”
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Mocked a key Trump bill as “just a big, beautiful nothing burger”
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Shared a now-deleted post suggesting Trump’s name appeared in Epstein files
Some insiders say it wasn’t the content but the accumulation that drew attention. “It started to feel less like critique and more like a vendetta,” said a former Trump campaign adviser.
Still, Musk’s latest message didn’t name the posts directly — leaving open-ended what exactly he regrets.
Trump’s Response Was Low-Key — But Strategic
Karoline Leavitt, Trump’s press secretary, said on Wednesday that the president had taken the apology well.
“President Trump appreciates Elon Musk’s apology,” she said at the daily briefing, with a small nod and no follow-up questions allowed.
She also confirmed that the administration is not reviewing any of Musk’s federal contracts. That includes multi-billion dollar ties with NASA, the Pentagon, and clean energy programs involving Tesla.
No one’s using the word “forgiveness,” though.
In Trump’s own words, shared during a Fox News interview on Wednesday: “Look, Elon’s not on my radar right now. But I appreciate the call. That’s all.”
The Bigger Picture: Why This Feud Even Mattered
This wasn’t just a billionaire spat on social media. There were ripple effects.
Tech investors saw Tesla stock dip 1.6% on June 7, right after Musk’s most aggressive anti-Trump posts. X users — particularly conservatives — were vocal about “betrayal” and even threatened to leave the platform.
Here’s how market reaction unfolded over five key days:
| Date | Event Description | Tesla (TSLA) Stock % | X Engagement (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 6 | Musk retweets call for impeachment | -1.2% | 8.4M |
| June 7 | Posts about Epstein and “ingratitude” | -1.6% | 9.1M |
| June 9 | Private call made to Trump | +0.4% | 5.7M |
| June 11 | Apology posted on X | +1.1% | 6.8M |
| June 12 | Trump responds, no further escalation | +0.3% | 4.9M |
The key takeaway? This feud briefly crossed over into business territory.
One investor told us, “If Trump had snapped and targeted Tesla subsidies or government launches, that would’ve hurt Musk more than any tweet ever could.”
Will This Truce Last?
Honestly, it’s hard to say. Musk hasn’t promised to stay quiet. Trump hasn’t promised to forgive. And both men have reputations for reversals.
Still, there’s a sense that this flare-up came close to something bigger — maybe even a fracture between two of the GOP’s most powerful unelected influencers.
Musk, for his part, hasn’t changed much in tone since the apology. He’s gone back to sharing memes, posting about AI, and retweeting news from SpaceX launches. But he hasn’t addressed Trump again.
