'I like Tesla': Trump signals truce with Elon Musk after week-long feud

Donald Trump, who once threatened to return his Tesla, now says 'I like Tesla' after Elon Musk admitted he 'went too far' in his posts and slammed 'Big Beautiful Bill' as reckless

After a week of rising tensions, US President Donald Trump has praised Tesla, a rare move that may signal an improvement in his public disagreement with the company’s CEO, Elon Musk. The unexpected shift comes just a day after Musk expressed regret over his recent criticism of Trump, acknowledging that his remarks “went too far”.

 

“I like Tesla,” Trump said during a White House event focused on California’s electric vehicle regulations. The comment marked a notable shift in tone after the president had previously threatened to remove his red Tesla from the White House garage amid growing friction with Musk.

 

 

The conciliatory remarks came shortly after Musk posted on X, walking back his earlier statements. “I regret some of my posts about President @realDonaldTrump last week. They went too far,” Musk wrote, signalling a possible end to their public spat.

 

I regret some of my posts about President @realDonaldTrump last week. They went too far.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 11, 2025

  Spending bill dispute triggered the rift

 

The tension between the two high-profile figures escalated earlier this month when Musk slammed Trump’s proposed “One Big Beautiful Bill” — a sweeping spending package Musk said would undo budget reforms by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which he had briefly headed.     

 

  In a CBS interview on the eve of his departure from DOGE, Musk criticised the bill, warning it would inflate the deficit. Trump, who had stayed silent initially, later expressed his disapproval of Musk’s remarks in comments made at the Oval Office.

 

Musk swiftly fired back on X, stating he had “no idea” what Trump’s bill entailed and dubbed it the “Big Ugly Spending Bill”.

 

Contract threats and Dragon spacecraft retaliation

 

The conflict further intensified when Trump reportedly threatened to cancel all federal contracts with Musk’s companies, including SpaceX. In response, Musk declared he would decommission the Dragon spacecraft — currently the only American-built vehicle capable of ferrying astronauts to the International Space Station.

 

This development raised concerns given the critical role played by Musk’s companies — Tesla, SpaceX, and Starlink — in several government programmes and initiatives.     

 

From campaign allies to public rivals — and back?

 

The latest reconciliation effort marks a turnaround in what had once been a close alliance. Musk had been one of Trump’s most significant backers during the 2024 election campaign, contributing an estimated $277 to $288 million, making him the largest political donor of that cycle.

 

After Trump’s victory, Musk was appointed to lead DOGE, an agency tasked with cutting federal expenditures. Trump had also come to Musk’s defence during periods of public backlash, including incidents of vandalism at Tesla showrooms and a decline in the company’s car sales amid political controversies.

 

(With agency inputs)