The relationship between President Donald Trump and Elon Musk is complex – and it often seems to be in a state of flux. On the one hand, Trump has praised Musk, who is considered to be one of the most influential business moguls today, praising him for his success as the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX. On the other hand, Musk has publicly traded barbs with Trump on a variety of topics, from Tesla’s bankruptcies to immigrants. Despite the sometimes testy exchanges, however, there are signs the two may have an underlying mutual respect and admiration for each another.
Trump has made few public statements about Musk. He has praised him for Tesla, SpaceX, and other ventures, and attended the launch of the Falcon Heavy Rocket in 2018. Then in 2019, Trump tweeted: “I am considering taking Tesla private at $420. Funding secured.” In response, Musk quipped, “That’s why I’m the luckiest guy alive.” Trump also praised Musk in 2020 when the first astronauts were launched into space. He referred to Musk as, “an incredible guy.”
However, Musk’s opinions of Trump have been less clear. He has tweeted and retweeted negative comments about Trump’s immigration policies, tariffs, Tesla bankruptcies and more. Musk also donated to Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign in 2016. During the 2020 presidential campaign, Musk also complained that both parties were “in the pocket” of their respective special interests.
Despite this outward animosity, however, some experts suggest that Trump and Musk have a genuine respect for each other. Musk was receptive to Trump’s “funding secured” tweet in 2018 and the pair have had several conversations since then. What’s more, both have been seen praising each other’s achievements in public appearances, such as the launch of the Falcon Heavy Rocket. Similarly, Musk famously donated to the Trump 2020 fundraising campaign.
The relationship between Trump and Musk continues to evolve. There is no doubt that the two men are ideologically polar opposites in some ways, and this makes their dynamic interesting. What is clear is that, despite their differences, the two continue to find respect, admiration, and even friendship in each other. It will be interesting to see what the future holds for the two business magnates.
Space Exploration
In recent years, both Trump and Musk have become known for their focus on space exploration. In 2017, Trump proposed a “Space Force”, a branch of the military to be created to protect American interests in the outer heavens. During the same speech, Trump recognized Musk’s contributions to space exploration, praising his ability to “send rockets up in the air”. Musk, for his part, has made it clear that he wants to reach deeper into space than any human has before. He has made progress towards this goal, building numerous organizations and corporations to pursue space exploration and beyond. In 2018, Musk and SpaceX launched the Falcon Heavy Rocket, which carried Elon’s own Tesla Roadster into space.
Trump honored this achievement by attending the launch – a decision that was met with some criticism, as Trump had previously cancelled America’s own space program. Despite this, Musk himself was pleased, calling Trump’s attendance “incredible”. This hints that, despite their public differences, Musk and Trump really do have a genuine respect for one another’s achievements in the sphere of space exploration.
As the Space Force continues to expand and gather steam, it remains to be seen what role Trump and Musk will play in its development. However, the relationship between the two suggests that their collaboration could be surprisingly beneficial for the advancement of space exploration.
Environmental Policies
Trump and Musk also differ on environmental issues. Trump has been accused of neglecting environmental problems, and even denying their existence in some cases. Musk, on the other hand, is a vocal advocate of green initiatives, running projects such as Tesla Energy, which produces and stores solar energy, and the Boring Company, which develops underground transport systems to reduce traffic congestion.
Despite their differences, however, both Trump and Musk have publicly praised one another’s green initiatives. During an Oval Office meeting in 2018, Musk demonstrated his reusable rockets to the President, who released a video of the demonstration, adding the caption “Inspiring to see!”. Similarly, in 2019, Musk praised Trump for signing the new US-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement, which included conservation measures such as “cooperation to combat illegal fishing and support for sustainable management of shared marine resources.”
It may be that in this regard, the two are willing to meet in the middle. Recently, Trump has committed to planting a trillion trees, which Musk has publicly praised. Moreover, the pair have both hinted at plans to cooperate to cut emissions, with Tesla helping the President to develop a planned Energy Independence Act. With the two business leaders now seemingly in agreement on environmental issues, we may see an even stronger partnership between Trump and Musk.
Immigration Policies
Trump and Musk have been sharply divided on the issue of immigration. Trump has been particularly vocal in his denouncement of immigrants, and his criticism of the diversity visa lottery has earned him the ire of Musk, who has himself migrated to the US. The President’s decision to more than halve the number of refugees admitted to the US in 2017 alone also earned him criticism from Musk, who has also spoken out about Trump’s plans to increase immigration restrictions.
In spite of this, Musk has accepted an invitation from the Trump administration to participate in a meeting in 2019 to discuss border security and immigration issues, during which Musk said the President’s increased immigration regulations would hurt the economy. Moreover, Musk has been a vocal proponent of an overhaul of the US immigration system, tweeting in 2019, “We need global talent to remain competitive. Immigration is vital for a strong economy.”
Overall, there is no doubt that Trump and Musk differ significantly on immigration – however, their recent conversations seem to indicate that both are open to finding a way forward that works for both of them. Still, any impending deal will likely be a difficult one to accomplish, so it remains to be seen how the pair will navigate the potential immigration reform.
Making America Great Again
Trump and Musk’s relationship is also complicated by Trump’s “Make America Great Again” initiative. Trump has touted the initiative as a way to create jobs, stimulate the economy, and reduce regulations – all of which have led to a surge in the stock market. Musk has been a major beneficiary of this, with Tesla’s market cap surging over $390 billion.
Musk has praised Trump for his efforts, saying, “The US economy has improved significantly during President Trump’s time in
