Sometimes, watching powerful figures clash feels like observing two dominant animals fighting for control of their territory.
Elon Musk’s own father compared the recent feud between the Tesla billionaire and former President Donald Trump to just that—a battle between two male gorillas vying for dominance.
Their explosive spat, which grabbed headlines on Thursday, seemed to cool down by Friday evening.
Both men publicly wished each other well, signaling a thaw in tensions after a day of heated exchanges.
The Root of the Rift: NASA, Politics, and a Controversial Bill
The conflict goes deeper than just words.
Inside the White House, fingers have been pointed at Sergio Gor, the director of the Presidential Personnel Office, as the key figure behind the feud.
Reports suggest Gor undermined Jared Isaacman, a Musk ally, blocking his potential NASA appointment last week.
This NASA snub ties into Musk’s larger frustration with a federal spending bill — dubbed the “Big Beautiful Bill” by Trump — which Musk claims is pushing Americans into “Debt Slavery.”
If the bill doesn’t pass the Senate, it could spell trouble for Trump politically, potentially forcing him to patch things up with Musk to maintain stability.
Several Republicans have voiced support for Musk’s criticism, expressing shared concerns about the bill’s impact.
Trump might extend an olive branch soon to avoid internal GOP unrest.
The Bill That Could Break the Bank
The bill in question is staggering, estimated to add $3.8 trillion to the national debt, which already towers at $36 trillion.
Even some of Trump’s staunchest supporters, like Marjorie Taylor Greene, have expressed reservations—especially about an AI-related provision she admits she hadn’t fully scrutinized.
Musk took to X (formerly Twitter) to publicly slam the bill, warning it would erase the progress made by his Dogecoin team.
But the personal blow came when Isaacman’s NASA nomination was pulled—a decision Trump said was tied to Isaacman’s past donations to Democratic causes, a move that reportedly upset Musk deeply.
Inside the White House Drama: Blame and Backstabbing
According to The New York Times, the White House placed blame squarely on Sergio Gor.
Musk and Gor have had a rocky relationship for months, with Gor allegedly resentful of Musk’s involvement in government staffing matters.
Tensions escalated in March when Musk accused Gor of leaking a story to The New York Times about Musk clashing with Trump’s cabinet members—a leak that conveniently left out Gor’s own office’s criticism.
Sources say Gor was looking for a way to get back at Musk and used proof of Isaacman’s political donations to push Trump into pulling the NASA nomination.
Trump admitted he knew about these donations for months but only recently acted on them, delivering a setback to Musk’s space ambitions, including his vision of colonizing Mars.
White House Stance and Musk’s Shift
White House spokesperson Steven Cheung defended Gor, calling him a vital and capable member of the team dedicated to advancing Trump’s agenda.
Meanwhile, Musk deleted a controversial post alleging Trump’s involvement in the Jeffrey Epstein files.
His father, Errol Musk, urged him to mend fences, describing Trump and Elon as “kindred spirits” who just need to settle their rivalry.
“In any group of dominant males—whether gorillas, elephants, or humans—they all want to be the leader,” Errol explained.
“Since Trump was elected, Elon will have to accept he isn’t the general.”
History Shows Trump Likes to Make Up
Despite Trump’s tough talk and insults—whether against world leaders like North Korea’s Kim Jong Un or political rivals like Florida Governor Ron DeSantis—he has a history of reconciliation.
His famously volatile relationship with Kim ended with a handshake in Singapore in 2018 and a subsequent summit.
Similarly, Trump’s rivalry with DeSantis swung from support to insults and back again, culminating in DeSantis endorsing Trump after dropping out of the presidential race.
Musk Backs Down—For Now
Musk hinted at cooling tensions after initially announcing he would retire his SpaceX Dragon spacecraft.
He quickly reversed course, signaling a willingness to keep the U.S. in the space game without relying on Russian rockets.
Trump also softened his stance, acknowledging that canceling loans or subsidies for Musk’s companies would have to be handled “fairly.”
Musk responded with a simple “Fair enough” to Trump’s comments.
One White House insider told The Washington Post there’s “hope” for reconciliation, though the relationship might never fully return to what it was.
What’s Next for Musk and Trump?
The feud’s fallout hit Musk’s fortune hard, with $27 billion wiped off his net worth shortly after the row went public.
Given the stakes, Musk might see value in staying on Trump’s good side moving forward.
While White House officials say there are no plans for a direct call between Trump and Musk yet, the signs of easing tensions hint that both sides could soon find common ground.
So, after a week of barbs, accusations, and political maneuvering, will these two powerful figures truly bury the hatchet? Time will tell.