Musk expresses "regret" for his criticism of Trump

Elon Musk said in a social media post early Wednesday morning that he regrets some comments and posts he made about President Trump last week, which led the president to disparage the tech billionaire in a dispute that played out in real time on his social media accounts. Musk said he regretted some of the comments and posts he made about President Trump last week. The comments went "too far."

The world's richest man was once one of the president's closest advisors and responsible for overseeing major spending cuts and reducing federal government staff. But he and Trump had a dramatic and public argument after the Tesla CEO leave his position in the administrationThe two men traded barbs on social media, and Trump said he had no interest in repairing the relationship.

Musk's public expression of regret has been a sign of a possible thaw in his standoff with the president. Last week, Musk endorsed a post on X that suggested the two men were "stronger together." He has since deleted some of his more incendiary posts from social media. Trump has also toned down some of his public criticism of the tycoon.

Immigration, a common reef

The protests in Los Angeles have highlighted a key issue where the two men agree: immigration. In recent days, Musk has used his platform to echo the president's rhetoric about protests and the need for a strong government response. With $275 million in the president's reelection campaign, he is the largest donor in Republican politics. He also has more followers than anyone else on X, the platform he owns. But Trump has immense political power over Musk. contracts as a way to "save money" in the federal budget. In 2023 alone, Musk's companies won federal contracts worth $3 billion from 17 federal agencies. on Musk's criticism in Trump's tax bill, which he described as a "repugnant abomination" because it will substantially increase the national debt. But the dispute quickly degenerated into petty and extravagant attacks.

Musk, for example, suggested that The administration has not released its files on Jeffrey Epstein—the documents and records about the billionaire's sex trafficking ring—because Trump is a member of it.At one point, Trump asked why Musk didn't cover his black eye with makeup during an Oval Office appearance last week.

The social media fight came as Musk pledged to step back from politics and his job at the Department of Government Efficiency, a federal government cost-cutting project, to refocus on his companies, which are facing crucial moments for their future.

Tesla has seen its sales plummet globally as Musk's politics have hurt the car brand. In the United States, Germany, Norway, the Netherlands, and France Tesla sales have fallen, While other electric car makers are gaining ground.

Tesla faces a major test later this month when the company is expected to introduce a new fleet of self-driving taxis in Austin, Texas, called Robotaxi.

Musk's space venture, SpaceX, also faces key challenges. The company is developing the largest and most powerful rocket ever built. Test flights so far have yielded mixed results.