Trump Softens Tone on Elon Musk After Feud Over Tax Bill Criticism

Despite falling out over ‘Big Beautiful Bill,’ Trump praises Musk as a “smart guy” with a bright future

Former allies turned headline fodder, Donald Trump and Elon Musk appear to be warming up again — or at least, Trump is. Just weeks after a messy public disagreement over Trump’s sweeping new tax legislation dubbed the “Big Beautiful Bill,” the U.S. President extended an olive branch of sorts in a Fox News interview aired Sunday, calling Musk a “wonderful guy” and “a smart guy who’s going to do well always.”

The comments come amid growing speculation about whether Musk’s post-White House criticism will influence Trump’s second-term economic agenda or their once-surprising tech-political alliance. While the two billionaires haven’t been seen together since Musk stepped down as an informal advisor in May, Sunday’s remarks may suggest Trump isn’t quite ready to write off the Tesla and SpaceX CEO.

From inner-circle advisor to public critic — and now?

Musk’s brief but influential tenure in Trump’s White House left an unusual imprint. He’d reportedly helped shape discussions around AI regulation, electric vehicle infrastructure, and broadband expansion.

But it was Trump’s controversial tax reform — a bill packed with corporate cuts and incentives for manufacturing — that split the two men.

In May, just after exiting his advisory role, Musk told reporters at a California tech summit, “The bill looks great on TV, but in practice, it’s a handout to fossil fuel interests and debt creators.” That jab did not go unnoticed.

Trump initially fired back in a Truth Social post, labeling Musk “ungrateful” and “too worried about Mars to care about Main Street.” For a few days, it was ugly.

Now, though, the President’s tone seems noticeably gentler. Speaking to Fox’s Maria Bartiromo, Trump remarked, “He got a little bit upset, and that wasn’t appropriate,” before pivoting back to praise.

One sentence stood out: “I haven’t spoken to him much, but I think Elon is a wonderful guy.”

Behind the smiles, deeper tension lingers

Despite the flattery, the rift isn’t just personality-based. Sources familiar with the backchannel conversations say Musk had tried, unsuccessfully, to influence the final draft of the “Big Beautiful Bill” to include incentives for EV battery development and AI start-ups.

One White House source, speaking on background, said Musk’s departure wasn’t as mutual as Trump’s team has made it sound. “He was pressing hard for climate-oriented carve-outs. That wasn’t going to fly.”

The bill ultimately passed the House last week with limited green tech provisions, disappointing not just Musk but several moderate Republicans. Trump celebrated its passage in a fiery rally in Dayton, Ohio, calling it “the biggest win for American business since Reagan.”

Meanwhile, Musk has turned back to what he does best: building things. He’s spent the past month crisscrossing between Tesla’s Gigafactory in Texas, a new AI lab in Nevada, and SpaceX’s Mars facility in Boca Chica.

Still a friend — or a potential political foil?

It’s unclear whether Trump’s renewed praise signals a genuine desire to bring Musk back into the fold — or simply to cool down a story that risked distracting from his legislative wins.

But the relationship has never been easy to box in.

• In 2023, Musk campaigned alongside Trump at a rally in Orlando, drawing cheers.

• In 2024, he publicly disagreed with the administration’s crackdown on TikTok, calling it “anti-innovation.”

• In 2025, he joined a presidential advisory task force on tech ethics — and then quit.

The oscillation is dizzying, even by D.C. standards.

How it plays out politically

What happens next could have more to do with strategy than sentiment. With Trump entering a crucial phase of his presidency, facing Democratic resistance and Republican infighting, aligning with someone as high-profile as Musk — even temporarily — may offer a boost.

But there’s risk too.

Musk, unfiltered as ever on X (formerly Twitter), has proven unpredictable. Just last week, he reposted a chart showing record corporate profits but stagnant wages — a subtle dig at the very bill Trump is now touting.

There’s also the optics: while Trump thrives on business loyalty, Musk’s independence makes him hard to pin down. He’s a billionaire, but also a disruptor. A capitalist, yet critical of “crony capitalism.”

Still, Trump’s remarks may have had more to do with managing public perception than rekindling a friendship. By portraying Musk as a “smart guy” who merely got a bit emotional, Trump paints himself as the bigger man — and perhaps draws a line under the drama.

Tax policy, tech clout, and the PR battle ahead

The tax fight is far from over. Democrats are sharpening their talking points ahead of the Senate vote, with several pointing to Musk’s criticism as evidence that the bill favors outdated industries.

Musk’s words may carry unusual weight among independents, especially younger voters who see him as a tech visionary rather than a partisan figure.

Meanwhile, polling shows mixed reception to the bill:

Musk has not commented publicly on Trump’s recent praise. But in true Elon fashion, he did post a cryptic tweet on Sunday night: “Some things are better left on mute.”

What that means? Who knows.

But this saga — part politics, part theater — probably isn’t over.