An article in the American newspaper The Wall Street Journal sheds light on the developments that brought Donald Trump and Elon Musk back together.
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After Trump was elected president of the United States, the billionaire gained considerable influence through his leadership of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Their alliance, however, fell apart in May 2025 as a result of political clashes and disagreements. Musk harshly criticized Trump’s fiscal and tax package, which he blamed for deepening the federal deficit. The US president responded on social media, threatening to eliminate electric vehicle mandates and review the US government’s contracts with Musk’s company SpaceX.
For his part, the billionaire made several insinuations concerning the Jeffrey Epstein files and gave the impression that he supported the creation of a new party. According to The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times, repairing the Musk-Trump relationship required sustained, secret efforts by mutual allies, who acted as intermediaries through back-channel communications.
US Vice President J.D. Vance played a decisive role. He continued communicating directly with Musk and members of his inner circle in an effort to ease political tensions. At the same time, Donald Trump Jr., the president’s eldest son, worked behind the scenes to find common ground between them.
Charlie Kirk, one of the best-known figures in the MAGA movement, also worked to improve relations between Trump and Musk before he was killed. The Wall Street Journal wrote: “The reconnection was also spurred by an unexpected tragedy: the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who had spent the months before his death trying to repair ties.”
The restoration of good relations became public in November 2025, during a high-level dinner at the White House attended by world leaders and technology company executives. During his speech, Trump openly mentioned Musk, while the latter publicly thanked the US president on social media for his contribution to the country.
Practical interests also underpin the reconciliation, as both sides have much at stake. For Trump, the rapprochement means that the Republican Party has regained a supporter with enormous financial clout who could invest substantial sums in the congressional midterm elections. Musk is reportedly prepared to spend $100 million to support Republicans in the November election.
For Musk, close ties with the White House provide protection for SpaceX’s crucial federal contracts. They also guarantee him influence over issues related to artificial intelligence and domestic industry.
The partnership had become evident by May 2026, when Musk traveled with Trump and his ministers aboard Air Force One during an official diplomatic visit to Beijing. According to witnesses, the atmosphere between them was friendly: Musk presented plans to build new factories in the US, while Trump asked him about his young son.
This moment marked the conclusion of a process that lasted nearly a year to bring Trump and Musk back together after one of the most unusual and consequential political alliances in modern American history had fallen apart.
Aides to the US president, cited by The Wall Street Journal, say Trump has privately stated that his relationship with Musk will never again be as close as it once was. Despite this, the two have resumed communicating roughly once a month and, according to people familiar with the conversations, discuss artificial intelligence, China and global developments.
