President Donald Trump and Elon Musk have rekindled their once-explosive relationship, months after one of the most public political falling-outs in recent memory. The thaw became official this week as Musk joined Trump at a White House banquet for Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, followed by three shout-outs from the president during a business-focused speech.
“You are so lucky I am with you, Elon,” Trump joked, referencing tax incentives for American carmakers. “Has he ever thanked me properly?”
The two-day stretch of events marks the clearest sign yet that the feud is over—at least for now. Behind the scenes, the reconciliation was orchestrated by Vice President JD Vance and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, who served as the key intermediaries to bring Musk back into the fold.
Multiple White House sources confirmed that both Wiles and Vance made it clear to Musk that he had an open channel to the administration, encouraging him to be a sounding board and private adviser without media fanfare.
Musk, for his part, responded positively. According to one source, he wanted people to understand he was “supportive and collaborative,” not just self-interested. Another insider noted that “the relationship has really thawed,” despite Musk’s previous calls for Trump’s impeachment and his short-lived plan to launch a third party that could have undercut Republican chances in the midterms.
The turnaround began quietly in September at the funeral of Charlie Kirk, the slain cofounder of Turning Point USA. Trump and Musk reportedly spoke in person there, resetting the tone of their interactions.
A key trigger point in the feud had been Trump’s abrupt May decision—under then-adviser Sergio Gor’s influence—to yank Jared Isaacman’s NASA nomination. Isaacman, a Musk ally and former astronaut, was dropped over past Democrat donations. Gor’s move infuriated Musk, who believed it was petty and political. The damage was reversed last month when Trump re-nominated Isaacman and Gor was reassigned to an ambassador post in India.
Dan Scavino, Trump’s longtime digital adviser and now director of presidential personnel, made fixing the Isaacman issue a personal priority, according to sources close to the situation.
Meanwhile, Musk has started to re-engage—not just socially, but substantively. His company xAI announced a deal with Saudi Arabia’s HUMAIN AI during the crown prince’s visit, agreeing to build a massive 500-megawatt data center. But sources close to Musk insisted this wasn’t a self-serving gesture—he genuinely wants to support the Trump agenda.
Trump and Musk had originally clashed over spending levels in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and a deeply personal spat involving Epstein-related accusations Musk briefly made and then deleted. The low point came in June when Trump threatened to pull federal funding from SpaceX and Tesla.
Now, though, cooler heads have prevailed.
One official close to the president acknowledged the detente but warned, “It will never be the way it used to be… The president forgives, but he does not forget.”
Even so, the White House is signaling openness to Musk’s return as a powerful ally—especially ahead of the 2026 midterms and 2028 race. According to insiders, Musk remains close to JD Vance and Susie Wiles, and the White House values his policy input on AI, energy, and infrastructure.
“He has been sincere in his support and willingness in his steps to be on the team,” one source said. “And the team is America.”
The post Trump and Elon Musk Reconcile After Bitter Feud, Thanks to Quiet Diplomacy and Shared Goals appeared first on Real News Now.
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