Musk began Trump apology effort after call with Vance, Wiles

Elon Musk’s early morning tweet Wednesday saying he regretted going “too far” in criticizing President Trump came after a private phone call with White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and Vice President Vance last Friday, sources tell Axios.

Why it matters: The call — confirmed by three people familiar with the discussion — signaled an effort by Musk to cool tensions with Trump after a week in which they’d feuded on social media, particularly over Musk’s objections to Trump’s signature tax and budget bill in Congress.

• Musk fears Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill,” will add trillions to the federal deficit.

Zoom in: Friday’s call began as a one-on-one discussion between Musk and Wiles, who then added Vance to the conversation, the sources said. 

• Vance is a close Musk ally — Musk was one of those who encouraged Trump to pick Vance as the GOP vice presidential nominee during the 2024 campaign. Vance essentially was caught in the middle of the Trump-Musk fight.

Between the lines: The push for a reconciliation between the world’s richest person and the president reflects how they both have something to gain from getting back on good terms.

• Musk’s rocket company, SpaceX, has billions of dollars in federal contracts. And Musk, the Republicans’ largest donor in the 2024 election cycle, has the ability to elevate GOP lawmakers and candidates who agree with him in opposing parts of Trump’s bill, as well as the president’s tariffs.

Musk did not specify which posts he regretted, but several were especially sharp jabs at Trump — taking credit for Trump’s election last year, calling for his impeachment, and even accusing the president of being “in the Epstein files.”

• Trump, who initially responded by threatening to terminate Musk’s billions of dollars in government contracts, has sought to tamp down tensions with his former “First Buddy” in recent days.

Spokespeople for Musk and the White House declined to comment on the call.

• Privately, Trump confidants and advisers said he was less angry than hurt by Musk’s “betrayal” — a word used by three people who spoke to him.
• “A public ‘I’m sorry’ from Elon would go a long way,” one confidant said. “Still, I don’t think the relationship will be the same.”