Ola Akinwunmi
In a turn of events, Elon Musk, the world’s wealthiest individual and a former advisor to Donald Trump, publicly expressed regret on Wednesday, over recent criticisms directed at the US president.
The tech billionaire admitted his remarks, largely aired on his social media platform X, “went too far,” just days after a highly public and acrimonious falling-out with Trump.
“I regret some of my posts about President @realDonaldTrump last week. They went too far,” Musk wrote on X, signaling a potential mending of fences after a week of heightened tensions.
Musk’s conciliatory tone follows a fiery exchange that saw Trump threaten “serious consequences” against the SpaceX and Tesla CEO, if he funds Democrats.
The former president’s warning came after Musk, a significant financial backer of the Republican Party, vocally opposed Trump’s “big, beautiful” spending bill, currently making its way through Congress.
The public feud, primarily unfolding on social media last Thursday, was ignited by Musk’s harsh condemnation of the spending legislation. The bill had drawn the ire of some lawmakers, who reportedly urged Musk to fund primary challenges against Republican representatives who vote in favor of the controversial measure.
Trump, in an interview on Saturday, did not mince words, branding Musk “disrespectful” and stating, “He’ll have to pay very serious consequences if he does that,” though he refrained from detailing what those consequences would entail.
Musk’s latest statement suggests a strategic retreat from the brink of a full-blown political battle with a figure he has previously advised and supported. The sudden shift raises questions about the motivations behind the regret and what, if any, implications it will have for their future relationship.