From 'First Buddy' bromance to feuding to a thaw, here's how Elon Musk and Donald Trump's relationship has evolved

• Elon Musk and Donald Trump have had a tumultuous relationship over the years.

• The two traded barbs during Trump's first term but became political allies during the 2024 election.

• After a brief falling out, Musk and Trump's feud is thawing.

Elon Musk and Donald Trump are inching closer to each other after an on-again-off-again relationship over the years.

The world's richest person and the two-time president of the United States weren't always close, but became singular political allies, with Musk calling himself "first buddy" following Trump's 2024 victory and donating more than $200 million toward pro-Trump super PACs.

At the beginning of Trump's second term, Musk was frequently seen on the president's side and served as the de facto head of the White House DOGE office.

In June 2025, Trump and Musk's relationship blew up after Musk criticized Trump's signature "Big Beautiful Bill." Musk even threatened to start his own political party. While Trump threatened to "destroy" Musk's companies.

Tensions have cooled since then. Musk and Trump shook hands at Charlie Cook's memorial service in September, a reunion that Musk and the White House proudly shared on social media. In October 2025, Trump said he had a "good" relationship with Musk.

"I like Elon, I've always liked him," Trump said.

Here's how the two billionaires reached this point.

November 2016: Musk says Trump is 'not the right guy' for the job

Just before the 2016 presidential election, Musk told CNBC he didn't think Trump should be president.

"I feel a bit stronger that he is not the right guy. He doesn't seem to have the sort of character that reflects well on the United States," Musk said.

The billionaire added that Hillary Clinton's economic and environmental policies were the "right ones."

December 2016: Musk appointed to Trump's advisory councils

After he won the presidency, Trump appointed Musk to two economic advisory councils, along with other business leaders like then Uber CEO Travis Kalanick.

Musk received criticism for working with the controversial president, but he defended his choice by saying he was using the position to lobby for better environmental and immigration policies.

June 2017: Musk cut ties with the White House in protest of Trump's environmental policies

On June 1, 2017, after Trump announced the US would pull out of the Paris Agreement on climate change, Musk resigned from his roles on presidential advisory boards.

"Climate change is real. Leaving Paris is not good for America or the world," Musk said in a tweet announcing his departure.

Musk's goal for Tesla is to curb dependence on fossil fuels through electric vehicles, solar power, and stationary energy storage.

January 2020: 'One of our great geniuses'

During a January 2020 interview with CNBC, Trump praised Musk's accomplishments and intelligence.

"You have to give him credit," the former president said, referring to Tesla becoming more valuable than Ford and General Motors. "He's also doing the rockets. He likes rockets. And he's doing good at rockets too, by the way."

Trump called Musk "one of our great geniuses" and likened him to Thomas Edison.

May 2020: Trump backs up Musk in feud with California's COVID-19 rules

As the pandemic gripped the US in early 2020, Musk clashed with California public-health officials who forced Tesla to temporarily shut down its factory there. Trump voiced his support for Musk.

"California should let Tesla & @elonmusk open the plant, NOW," Trump tweeted in May 2020. "It can be done Fast & Safely!"

"Thank you!" Musk replied.

May 2022: Musk says he would reinstate Trump's Twitter account

In May 2022, Musk said he would unban Trump as Twitter's new owner.

Musk called the ban a "morally bad decision" and "foolish to the extreme" in an interview with the Financial Times. Twitter kicked Trump off its platform following the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol.

The Tesla billionaire has called himself a "free speech absolutist," and one of his key goals for taking Twitter private was to loosen content moderation.

July 2022: Trump calls Musk a 'bullshit artist'

In July 2022, Trump took aim at Musk, saying the businessman voted for him but later denied it.

"You know [Musk] said the other day 'Oh, I've never voted for a Republican,'" Trump said during a Saturday rally in Anchorage, Alaska. "I said 'I didn't know that.' He told me he voted for me. So he's another bullshit artist."

Days later, Musk tweeted that Trump's claim was "not true."

July 2022: Musk says Trump shouldn't run again

Musk stopped short of attacking Trump personally, but said he shouldn't run for president again.

"I don't hate the man, but it's time for Trump to hang up his hat & sail into the sunset. Dems should also call off the attack – don't make it so that Trump's only way to survive is to regain the Presidency," he tweeted.

He continued: "Do we really want a bull in a china shop situation every single day!? Also, I think the legal maximum age for start of Presidential term should be 69." Trump is 76 years old.

July 2022: Trump lashes out

Soon after, Trump went on the offensive, posting a lengthy attack on Musk on Truth Social.

"When Elon Musk came to the White House asking me for help on all of his many subsidized projects, whether it's electric cars that don't drive long enough, driverless cars that crash, or rocketships to nowhere, without which subsidies he'd be worthless, and telling me how he was a big Trump fan and Republican, I could have said, 'drop to your knees and beg,' and he would have done it," Trump said in a post that criticized two of Musk's ventures, Tesla and the rocket company SpaceX.

"Lmaooo," Musk responded on Twitter.

October 2022: Trump cheers Musk's Twitter deal but says he won't return

Following Musk's official purchase of Twitter in October 2022, Trump applauded the deal.

"I am very happy that Twitter is now in sane hands, and will no longer be run by Radical Left Lunatics and Maniacs that truly hate our country," he said. He added that he likes Truth Social better than other platforms, echoing comments from earlier this year in which he ruled out a return to Twitter.

Musk later joked about the potential of welcoming the former president back to his newly acquired platform.

"If I had a dollar for every time someone asked me if Trump is coming back on this platform, Twitter would be minting money!," the Tesla CEO tweeted in October 2022.

May 2023: Musk hosts Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' glitchy debut

Musk and other right-leaning voices in Silicon Valley initially supported Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. DeSantis ended 2022 as Trump's best-positioned primary challenger. In November 2022, as DeSantis was skyrocketing to acclaim, Musk said he would endorse him. In March 2023, after enduring Trump's attacks for months, DeSantis prepared to make history by formally announcing his candidacy in an interview on Twitter.

The initial few minutes were a glitchy disaster. Trump and his allies ruthlessly mocked DeSantis' "Space" with Musk and venture capitalist David Sachs. DeSantis' interview later proceeded, but his campaign was dogged for days with negative headlines.

September 2023: A Trump-style border wall is needed, Musk says

Musk live-streamed a visit to the US-Mexico border on Twitter, which he had rebranded as "X." Musk offered his support for one of Trump's signature immigration policies.

"We actually do need a wall and we need to require people to have some shred of evidence to claim asylum to enter, as everyone is doing that," Musk wrote on X. "It's a hack that you can literally Google to know exactly what to say! Will find out more when I visit Eagle Pass maybe as soon as tomorrow."

March 2024: Trump tries to woo Musk, but the billionaire says he won't give him money.

Trump tried to woo Musk during a meeting at the former president's Mar-a-Lago resort. According to The New York Times, Trump met with Musk and a few other GOP megadonors when the former president's campaign was particularly cash-strapped. After the Times published its report, Musk said he would not be "donating money to either candidate for US President."

July 2024: Musk endorses Trump after the former president is shot

Musk said he "fully endorsed" Trump after the former president was shot during a political rally ahead of the Republican National Convention. Musk's endorsement marked a major turning point in his yearslong political evolution from an Obama voter. Days later, it would come to light that Musk pressed Trump to select Ohio Sen. JD Vance as his running mate.

Trump announced Vance as his vice presidential pick at the Republican National Convention.

The ticket, Musk wrote on X, "resounds with victory."

August 2024: Trump joins Musk for a highly anticipated interview

Trump, who ended the Republican National Convention primed for victory, stumbled after Biden abruptly dropped out of the 2024 race. He and his allies have struggled to attack Vice President Kamala Harris, who became the Democratic presidential nominee.

Amid Harris' early media blitz, Trump joined Musk on a two-hour livestream on X that garnered an audience of over 1 million listeners. The conversation covered topics ranging from a retelling of Trump's assassination attempt to illegal immigration to Musk's potential role with a government efficiency commission.

In August, Trump began to suggest that he "certainly would" consider adding Musk to his Cabinet or an advisory role. The Tesla CEO responded by tweeting an AI-generated photo of himself on a podium emblazoned with the acronym "D.O.G.E"—Department of Government Efficiency.

"I am willing to serve," he wrote above the image.

September 2024: Musk says he's ready to serve if Trump gives him an advisory role

In September 2024, Trump softened the possibility that Musk might join his Cabinet suggestion of Musk joining his Cabinet. However, he also said that Musk could "consult with the country" and help give "some very good ideas."

Musk later expressed enthusiasm about the news.

"I can't wait. There is a lot of waste and needless regulation in government that needs to go," he wrote on X.

He later added that he "looked forward to serving" the country and would be willing to do with without any pay, title, or recognition.

October 2024: Musk speaks at Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania

Musk joined Trump onstage during the former president's rally, hosted on October 5 in the same location where Trump survived an assassination attempt in July 2024. Musk sported an all-black "Make America Great Again" cap and briefly addressed the crowd, saying that voter turnout for Trump this year was essential or "this will be the last election."

"President Trump must win to preserve the Constitution," Musk said. "He must win to preserve democracy in America."

The next day, Musk's America PAC announced that it would offer $47 to each person who refers registered voters residing in swing states to sign a petition "in support for the First and Second Amendments."

By October, the PAC had reportedly already spent over $80 million on the election, with over $8.2 million spread across 18 competitive House races for the GOP.

The Tesla CEO later told former Fox News host Tucker Carlson that he might face "vengeance" if Trump loses the election.

November 2024: Trump wins the presidency and names Musk his administration

Musk was by Trump's side on election night at Mar-a-Lago, helping celebrate his victory.

Nearly a week after his 2024 presidential election win, Trump announced that Musk and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy were chosen to lead a newly minted Department of Government Efficiency (or DOGE, as Musk liked to call it, in reference to the meme-inspired cryptocurrency Dogecoin).

"Together, these two wonderful Americans will pay the way for my Administration to dismantle the Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies," Trump said in a statement.

Outside of administrative duties, Musk's presence at Trump's Mar-a-Lago club was so constant that Trump joked he couldn't "get rid of him."

"Elon won't go home," Trump told NBC News jokingly

The pair's close relationship grew into a more personal friendship. Musk was seen attending Trump's Thanksgiving dinner and on the golf course with Trump and his grandchildren, where Kai Trump said he achieved "uncle status."

December 2024: Trump reaffirms he will be the next President, not Musk

Trump dismissed concerns that Musk would be running the country, adding in a barb that the billionaire couldn't even be in charge if he wanted to, since he was born in South Africa.

"No, he's not going to be president, that I can tell you," Trump said in December 2024. "And I'm safe. You know why? He can't be? He wasn't born in this country."

Trump's comments came after Musk flexed his influence to help shut down a bipartisan emergency spending bill earlier that month. Some Republicans questioned why Trump hadn't been more active in derailing the bill, and Democrats baited the President-elect on social media with posts about Musk "calling the shots" and taking on the role of a "shadow president.

January 2025: Musk and fellow billionaires celebrate Trump's inauguration

Trump was sworn into office on January 20. Several tech leaders were in attendance, including Meta's Mark Zuckerberg, Amazon's Jeff Bezos, and Google's Sundar Pichai. The "first buddy" was also front and center for Trump's inauguration.

Musk took the stage to celebrate at an inauguration event at the Capital One Arena, where he sparked accusations over a gesture he made that some said resembled a Nazi salute. Musk denied the allegations.

"Hopefully, people realize I'm not a Nazi. Just to be clear, I'm not a Nazi," he said during an interview with Joe Rogan.

February 2025: The White House says Musk isn't running DOGE

Though Musk quickly became the face of the DOGE effort, White House court filings said he had "no actual or formal authority to make government decisions himself."

In the February 2025 filing, Musk was described as a senior advisor to Trump with "no greater authority than other senior White House advisors." Officials also called him a "special government employee."

Trump told reporters they can call Musk "whatever you want."

The White House later named Amy Gleason, who previously worked for US Digital Service, as the acting DOGE administrator.

March 2025: Trump buys a Tesla and calls out protesters

Musk's companies struggled to escape the almost daily DOGE-related news cycles.

Protests, boycotts, and vandalism at Tesla dealerships spread across the US.

In March, Trump stepped in to defend Musk's electric car company, with Teslas on the South Lawn of the White House. Trump later wrote that he'd purchased a Tesla to show support for Musk.

"The Radical Left Lunatics, as they often do, are trying to illegally and collusively boycott Tesla, one of the World's great automakers, and Elon's 'baby,' in order to attack and do harm to Elon, and everything he stands for," he wrote on Truth Social.

April 2025: Musk announces he's stepping back from DOGE

Three months into DOGE's mission to reshape the federal workforce, Musk announced that he would be stepping back from the effort. He broke the news during an underwhelming Tesla earnings call, where earnings per share were down 71% year over year.

"Starting next month, I will be allocating far more of my time to Tesla," Musk said during the call. He added that "the major work of establishing the Department of Government Efficiency" had been completed.

At the time, Musk said he would keep spending one or two days each week on governmental duties, so long as Trump wanted him to do so.

May 2025: Musk says he'll be spending less on politics, criticizes the Republican agenda, and announces he's leaving government for good

By May 2025, Musk started to step back from his overall political activity. The world's richest person also said he had "done enough" in terms of political contributions.

Musk told a reporter that he "probably did spend a bit too much time on politics," and that he'd "reduced that significantly in recent weeks."

His retreat didn't last long. Musk took a decidedly more critical tone regarding the overall Republican agenda. In an interview with CBS in late May, he said he wasn't pleased with Trump and House Republicans' "big beautiful" spending bill.

"I was disappointed to see the massive spending bill, frankly, which increases the budget deficit, not just decrease it, and undermines the work that the DOGE team is doing," Musk said.

On May 28, 2025, Musk cut ties with DOGE and the Trump administration. Under federal law, special government employees can't serve more than 130 days a year. Musk left shortly before that deadline.

June 2025: Musk and Trump escalate attacks, after Tesla CEO delivers sharp rebuke against the 'Big Beautiful Bill'

Days after stepping away from his job in the White House, Musk delivered his harshest criticism yet of the GOP spending proposal called the "Big Beautiful Bill."

"I'm sorry, but I just can't stand it anymore," Musk wrote on X on June 3. "This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination. Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong. You know it."

On June 5, the barbs escalated as Musk doubled down on his criticisms and Trump threatened the CEO's businesses.

Musk began to dig up old tweets from Trump, including one where the president said in 2013, "I cannot believe the Republicans are extending the debt ceiling—I am a Republican & I am embarrassed!"

Musk quote-tweeted it with the message, "Wise words," taking a dig at Trump's very different stance on the debt ceiling today.

Trump first shot back with a softer/more diplomatic response, saying that the CEO and he "had a great relationship," but he wasn't sure if it would continue.

The tone soon took a sharp turn after Trump threatened on the same day to terminate the federal contracts that Musk's companies, including SpaceX and Tesla, rely on, and Musk began to take credit for Trump's 2024 electoral victory.

In response to Trump's threat to cancel the government contracts, Musk said on X that he'd immediately decommission SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft, which provides NASA transport to and from the International Space Station.

Trump and Musk continued their back-and-forth throughout the month.

"He's a smart guy. And he actually went and campaigned with me and this and that," Trump told Fox News in late June. "But he got a little bit upset, and that wasn't appropriate."

On June 30, Musk doubled down on his calls for another political party. He also vowed to defeat politicians who support Trump's bill.

"They will lose their primary next year if it is the last thing I do on this Earth," Musk wrote on X.

July 2025: Trump threatens Musk but later says he wants his companies to do well

Trump responded on July 1 on Truth Social, suggesting that DOGE could be turned on its former chief.

"Elon may get more subsidy than any human being in history, by far, and without subsidies, Elon would probably have to close up shop and head back home to South Africa. No more Rocket launches, Satellites, or Electric Car Production, and our Country would save a FORTUNE," he wrote.

Musk followed up with more posts on X proclaiming his opposition to the spending bill.

Trump signed his signature bill on July 4, 2025.

On July 5, Musk said on X that he had formed the America Party to "give you back your freedom."

Trump responded on Truth Social that he was "saddened" to see Musk go "completely 'off the rails,'" essentially becoming a "TRAIN WRECK over the past five weeks." Trump added that third political parties have never succeeded.

Late in the month, Trump said that even though his signature domestic plan slashes EV subsidies, he's not out to hurt Musk's bottom line.

"Everyone is stating that I will destroy Elon's companies by taking away some, if not all, of the large-scale subsidies he receives from the U.S. Government," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "This is not so! I want Elon, and all businesses within our Country, to THRIVE, in fact, THRIVE like never before!"

Trump's statement came a day after the White House appeared to suggest that federal agencies shouldn't contract with Musk's xAI.

September 2025: Trump and Musk reunite to remember a conservative icon

Trump and Musk were seen for the first time since their public falling out at the memorial service for conservative commentator Charlie Kirk.

Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and a host of other top White House officials joined together in Arizona to pay tribute to Kirk, who was killed while speaking at Utah Valley University.

Musk and the White House later posted photos of the meet-up on X.

Trump said that Musk came over "to say hello."

"I thought it was nice, he came over, we had a little conversation," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One after the memorial service. "We had a very good relationship but it was nice that he came over. "

Musk had previously said that the White House had invited him to an exclusive dinner for tech CEOs but was unable to attend.

October 2025: Trump gives a relationship status update

Trump said he and Musk had a "good" relationship and called their brief feud "a stupid moment."

"He had a bad spell, he had a bad period. He had a bad moment," Trump told reporters when asked about their relationship. "It was a stupid moment in his life, very stupid. I'm sure he'd tell you that. But I like Elon, and I suspect I always will."

The Tesla CEO still has beefs elsewhere. In late October, Musk called Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy a "dummy" amid a spat over who would lead NASA.

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