Elon Musk says he regrets some of his social media posts about Trump

Elon Musk expressed regret Wednesday over a series of posts targeting President Donald Trump, signaling a potential de-escalation in their public feud.

“I regret some of my posts about President last week. They went too far,” Musk said on X, the platform he owns.

The apology marks a shift in tone after a heated exchange between the two men last week. Musk and Trump, once allies, openly criticized each other in a rare clash between two powerful public figures.

Until recently, Musk served as co-head of Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency. In that role, Musk led aggressive cost-cutting efforts across federal agencies. But their relationship soured after Musk publicly opposed Trump’s major tax and domestic policy bill.

Musk called the bill a “disgusting abomination” and warned of its potential to worsen the U.S. budget deficit. “This kind of reckless spending threatens the country’s long-term stability,” Musk posted last Thursday.

Musk followed up by resurfacing older comments from Trump and Republican lawmakers. These remarks raised alarms about government spending—comments Musk said now ring hollow given the scale of the current deficit.

The clash came to a head with Musk’s most inflammatory claim: that Trump appeared in files related to Jeffrey Epstein, the late financier convicted of sex crimes. Musk provided no evidence. Legal experts cautioned that inclusion in such documents does not imply wrongdoing. “Many names appear in those files without any accusations,” said Harvard Law professor Alan Dershowitz in a 2023 CBS News interview.

Trump hit back, threatening to cut federal contracts and subsidies awarded to Musk’s companies. “I’m not even thinking about Elon,” Trump told CNN’s Dana Bash. “I won’t be talking to him for a while.”

In a separate interview released Wednesday on the New York Post podcast “Pod Force One,” Trump said he felt “disappointed” by Musk’s attacks. Still, he insisted, “No hard feelings. I was just surprised.”

As the backlash grew, Musk began deleting some of his most controversial posts. He removed the Epstein claim and another agreeing with calls to impeach Trump. He also appeared to heed a message from billionaire investor Bill Ackman, who urged both men to make peace. Musk replied to Ackman’s post, saying, “Not wrong.”

Musk has continued to align with the Trump administration on several key issues. He supported Trump’s hardline immigration stance, posting American flags in response to Vice President JD Vance’s promise to crack down on protest violence in Los Angeles.

“He’s always been vocal about border control,” said political analyst Laura Benson. “This isn’t just a business dispute—it reflects real ideological tension.”

Tesla (TSLA) shares rose 2% in premarket trading following Musk’s apology. Some investors welcomed the shift. “Markets don’t like uncertainty,” said tech analyst Ryan Patel on Bloomberg TV. “Backing off the feud may help Tesla avoid political fallout.”

Musk did not clarify which comments he regrets. However, his softened approach follows recent remarks from his father, Errol Musk, who told Russian outlet Izvestia that his son had “made a mistake.” Errol added, “Trump will prevail. He is the president.”

Despite their own strained relationship, Errol predicted reconciliation. “It’s just a small thing. It will be over tomorrow,” he said.

The broader impact of this feud remains unclear. Still, the walk-back signals Musk may be trying to rebuild ties with key political allies. And for now, it appears he’s pulling back from the edge.

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