Trump’s six-word jab at Musk keeps rivalry alive as billionaire responds with public thanks

US President Donald Trump revived his simmering feud with Elon Musk even as the Tesla chief publicly attempted to strike a conciliatory tone.

Speaking at the US-Saudi Investment Forum in Washington, Trump broke into a familiar mix of jest and grievance as he recounted the “favours” he claimed to have extended to Musk during the billionaire’s short stint leading the Department of Government Efficiency.

Mid-speech, Trump paused theatrically and asked the room, “Has he ever thanked me for that properly?” He then went on to defend tax incentives for electric vehicle buyers, insisting that the benefits were aimed at middle-income Americans. “Even people that go buy a car, they’ve never had this,” he said, before digressing to explain that wealthier households routinely rely on deductions. “You know, middle-income people don’t know what the word deduction is. They don’t know. This room, they live on deductions. Me too. How much of a deduction do I get? We all live on it,” he added.


Trump said his administration had ensured that buyers could secure interest deductions when purchasing “a nice Tesla car.” Then, looking toward Musk, he dropped the six-word line that instantly lit up political chatter: “You’re so lucky. I’m with you, Elon.” He followed that with a joke that he still allowed Musk to sell “cars that aren’t electric – but those are minor details.”

Musk responds online

Not long after the remarks, Musk posted a carefully worded message on X, saying, “I would like to thank President Trump for al he has done for America and the world.”

The post was accompanied by photos of Musk alongside Trump, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang at the event.

The forum appearance marked the second time Trump and Musk have been seen together since their relationship publicly deteriorated earlier in the year. Musk had previously endorsed Trump and briefly headed a government efficiency drive that pushed for aggressive cuts in federal spending and staffing.

Rift that played out in public

Their partnership began to fracture after Musk openly criticised Trump’s tax-and-spend blueprint as fiscally irresponsible and disclosed plans to launch a new political party.

Trump shot back by threatening to pull government support for Musk’s companies, escalating tensions that hurt Tesla’s public image and share performance.

In the months that followed, the two largely avoided each other, save for a brief handshake at a memorial event in September. Musk’s message on X appears to signal an effort to de-escalate, but Trump’s latest remarks show he’s not finished having the last word.