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Elon Musk publicly thanked President Donald Trump after their previous clash and following instructions from the president.
On Wednesday, Nov. 19, the 79-year-old President Trump spoke at the U.S.-Saudi Investment Forum and talked about the “Big Beautiful Bill,” noting that the government’s massive spending plan would include a deduction for the purchase of domestically produced cars.
When explaining the deduction, Trump pointed to Musk, 54, who was in the room, and said, “If they buy a nice Tesla and borrow that money…” before cutting off, saying, “I’m so lucky to have you, Elon.”
“Has he ever properly thanked me?” the president asked.
After President Trump’s speech, Musk released a message of thanks to the president on X. “I want to thank President Trump for everything he has done for America and the world,” he wrote in a Nov. 19 X post. The post also included photos of Musk, Trump, and other leaders and businessmen who attended the forum, including Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman.
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Trump’s comments and Musk’s response came a day after Musk attended President Trump’s White House Dinner for Bin Salman on Tuesday, November 18th.
The Tesla CEO appeared at a black-tie event after the president’s meeting with Middle Eastern leaders in Washington, D.C., where President Trump told dinner attendees, “This room is full of the greatest leaders in the world,” The Hill reported.
Musk has been appearing at Trump’s side recently following his stint as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The tech giant held the job from January until May 30, after which President Trump announced he would step down once Musk’s special public service contract ended.
But days after Musk resigned, he expressed his true feelings about the “Big Beautiful Bill.”
“I’m sorry but I can’t take it anymore,” Musk wrote in an X post at the time. “This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is an abomination, an abomination. Shame on the people who voted for it. They know they were wrong. You know it.”
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Musk later retracted some of his comments. But sources told PEOPLE in June that the relationship between Musk and President Trump was forever damaged.
Musk announced in July that he would form a new political party, the American Party, after Congress passed President Trump’s domestic policy bill. In response, President Trump called Musk a “train wreck” and accused him of going “insane.”
A few months later, in early September, Musk said at the All-In Summit that his time as an advisor had been “a total side quest,” according to the Seattle Times.
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Despite their falling out, the pair were seen a few weeks later at a memorial service for right-wing activist Charlie Kirk on September 21st.
Kirk was assassinated on Sept. 10 at Utah Valley University, and the president paid tribute to him during a 40-minute memorial at the event. There, Musk and Trump spoke briefly. Shortly afterward, Trump recounted the conversation to reporters, saying Musk approached him to say hello.
However, following previous reports of strained relations, the New York Times reported on November 18 that several people who worked with Musk at the Department of Government Efficiency planned to celebrate their time together this weekend. Musk is scheduled to attend an Austin-based event.
