Archive · 14 Aug 2026
Trump and Musk Turn Bitter Feud into $100 Million Alliance
Donald Trump and Elon Musk are friends again.
A long time ago, they worked together after Trump became president again.
But in 2025, they got into a really big fight.
Musk said the government's big spending plan was bad, and Trump got angry and talked about taking away government deals from Musk's rocket company.
Some helpers, like Vice President JD Vance, worked quietly to make them friends again.
Musk promised to spend lots of money to help Trump's party win more votes in the next election.
Now they talk about once a month.
They even rode on the president's special airplane together to visit another country.
Musk admits he got too involved in politics before and says he got carried away.
Now their friendship is back, and it helps both of them.
Donald Trump and Elon Musk rebuilt their political alliance after a nearly yearlong effort to repair a relationship that shattered publicly in May-June 2025.
Musk has committed at least $100 million to a Republican voter-turnout operation, partly through America PAC, to help Republicans hold on to Congress in the 2026 midterms.
The feud erupted after Musk called Trump's tax-and-spending package a 'disgusting abomination' and Trump threatened to cancel SpaceX government contracts.
Back-channel intermediaries including Vice President JD Vance, Donald Trump Jr., Charlie Kirk, and Susie Wiles helped bridge the divide; Kirk was shot and killed in September, and both men attended his memorial.
By May 2026, Musk joined Trump and cabinet secretaries aboard Air Force One for a diplomatic trip to Beijing, and the two now speak roughly once a month about China, AI, and world events.
- Who
- President Donald Trump and Tesla-SpaceX chief Elon Musk, aided by back-channel intermediaries including Vice President JD Vance, Donald Trump Jr., Charlie Kirk, and White House chief of staff Susie Wiles.
- What
- Rebuilt their political alliance after a bitter public feud in mid-2025, with Musk pledging at least $100 million to a Republican voter-turnout operation for the 2026 midterm elections.
- When
- The fallout occurred in May-June 2025; the thaw became public in November 2025, and the alliance was fully on display by May 2026.
- Where
- United States, including the White House, and aboard Air Force One en route to Beijing, China.
- Why
- Mutual interests: Trump gained a powerful financial ally for the 2026 midterms, while Musk sought to protect SpaceX's federal contracts and stay influential on AI policy and domestic manufacturing.
- Pledged funding
- At least $100 million for a Republican voter-turnout operation for the 2026 midterm elections, partly through America PAC
- Reason for fallout
- Musk called Trump's tax-and-spending package a "disgusting abomination"
- Trump's retaliation
- Threatened to cancel SpaceX government contracts and accused Musk of opposing the bill
- Musk's 2024 spending
- Nearly $300 million to help Trump win the 2024 election
- Key intermediaries
- JD Vance, Donald Trump Jr., Charlie Kirk, and Susie Wiles
- Public reconciliation
- November 2025 White House dinner for Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman
- Status by May 2026
- Musk joined Trump aboard Air Force One for a trip to Beijing; they speak roughly once a month
- Charlie Kirk
- Shot and killed in September; Trump and Musk attended his memorial at an Arizona football stadium
