In a dramatic turn that could only happen in the surreal theater of American politics, Elon Musk has hit the brakes on his recent online tirades against President Donald Trump. The billionaire tech mogul—who just weeks ago was singing the praises of Trump’s re-election campaign—now admits that he may have let things spiral out of control.
“I regret some of my posts about President Donald Trump last week. They went too far,” Musk posted early Wednesday on X, the very platform he owns and where much of this high-stakes mudslinging unfolded.
This isn’t just some celebrity spat. Musk was a major backer of Trump’s 2024 campaign, reportedly pouring hundreds of millions into the effort and securing a plum government role in return. Trump tapped Musk to head the newly minted Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an agency designed to cut the fat from federal bureaucracy. At the time, the bromance seemed strong—two powerful egos aligned on a mission to “drain the swamp.”
But, as with many political love stories, things soured fast.
The flashpoint? Trump’s so-called “big, beautiful bill,” a sweeping legislative package central to his second-term agenda. Musk lashed out publicly, calling it a bloated mess filled with “pork” and accusing Trump of abandoning his promise to rein in the national debt.
Trump didn’t take kindly to the criticism. He accused Musk of only opposing the bill because it didn’t serve his personal interests—setting off a vicious digital firefight. Trump branded Musk “crazy,” and in a now-deleted post, Musk went nuclear: accusing Trump of complicity in the sex crimes of the late Jeffrey Epstein. That post, unsurprisingly, made headlines before it vanished.
Now, Musk seems to be trying to cool the flames. Though he didn’t specify which comments he regrets, sources close to both camps say there’ve been quiet efforts behind the scenes to lower the temperature. For his part, Trump initially swatted away the idea of any backchannel diplomacy—but he, too, has softened his public tone in recent days.
It’s a far cry from the chest-thumping alliance that once had conservatives cheering and Twitter buzzing. Whether this is a true reconciliation or just a pause in the chaos remains to be seen.
One thing’s for sure—when two of the loudest voices in American politics start throwing punches, everyone hears it.
