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Trump Awards Musk Science Medal After Bitter Fallout
President Donald Trump gave Elon Musk a major science award at a ceremony in Washington.
Trump praised Musk and called him a “modern-day Thomas Edison.”
Musk received the National Medal of Science with Sergey Brin, Jensen Huang and Lisa Su.
Michael Dell and Satya Nadella received a different award for technology.
Trump and Musk had a public argument in 2025 after Musk left the administration and criticized Trump’s spending plans.
Trump threatened to deport Musk, and Musk made allegations linking Trump to Jeffrey Epstein.
Since then, Musk has attended events with Trump and joined a White House meeting.
Their friendly appearance at the ceremony showed that their relationship had improved, although they seemed somewhat awkward.
Donald Trump presented Elon Musk with the National Medal of Science at a Washington ceremony on Thursday.
Trump called Musk a “national treasure” and a “modern-day Thomas Edison.”
Musk shared the science medal with Sergey Brin, Jensen Huang and Lisa Su.
Michael Dell and Satya Nadella received the National Medal of Technology and Innovation.
The ceremony followed the pair’s public fallout in 2025; the articles say relations have since improved.
- Who
- Donald Trump presented Elon Musk with the National Medal of Science; four other technology leaders also received awards.
- What
- The ceremony recognized recipients with the National Medal of Science and the National Medal of Technology and Innovation.
- Where
- The Institute of Peace in Washington.
- When
- Thursday; the articles were published October 9, 2026.
- Why
- The event presented the awards; the articles do not give a specific selection rationale.
Musk’s position
Trump’s position
Spending plans and the 2025 split
Musk’s position
Musk opposed Trump’s tax and spending bill and criticized Trump’s spending plans.
Trump’s position
Trump defended his spending agenda; the articles describe the bill as a source of the pair’s falling-out.
Government oversight of AI
Musk’s position
Musk and other technology leaders promised to self-regulate against possible AI threats.
Trump’s position
Trump rejected calls for government oversight and argued that AI is important to the US economy.
Key facts
- Science award
- National Medal of Science
- Science medal recipients
- Elon Musk, Sergey Brin, Jensen Huang and Lisa Su
- Technology award
- National Medal of Technology and Innovation
- Technology award recipients
- Michael Dell and Satya Nadella
- Event title
- “Science: A New Golden Age”
- Venue
- Institute of Peace, Washington
- Relationship context
- Trump and Musk had a public falling-out in 2025; the articles report that relations later improved.
Quotes
Donald Trump
US president who presented Musk with the National Medal of Science.
“Elon, I want to congratulate you. You're my friend, and all of that, but you are a very, very special guy.”
NDTV
“Elon is our modern-day Thomas Edison.”
NDTV
Sources
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