Washington: U.S. President Donald Trump has reignited speculation about Elon Musk’s political trajectory, suggesting the billionaire entrepreneur will ultimately return to the Republican fold despite their public falling-out earlier this year. Speaking on the Scott Jennings Show in an interview recorded Tuesday, Trump described Musk as “80% super genius” but acknowledged that the Tesla and SpaceX CEO still had “some problems to work out.”
“I don’t think he has a choice,” Trump said when asked about Musk’s future political stance. He framed the billionaire’s options starkly: loyalty to the Republican Party or alignment with what he called “radical left lunatics.” While their rift has played out openly on social media in recent months, Trump softened his tone in this interview, calling Musk “a good man” who had temporarily “got off the reservation.”
The two men were once close allies, with Musk supporting parts of Trump’s economic agenda and helping lead a cost-cutting initiative during his administration. However, their relationship soured over a controversial bill that ended electric vehicle tax credits, a move that directly affected Tesla. Musk argued his opposition stemmed from concerns about the U.S. deficit, while Trump saw the pushback as disloyalty. At the height of the feud, Musk floated the idea of launching a third party to challenge both Republicans and Democrats, while Trump threatened to cut off federal contracts and subsidies linked to Musk’s companies.
Despite the public acrimony, both men have shown signs of seeking common ground. Trump’s latest comments appear to be an attempt to bridge the divide, blending criticism with admiration. “When he works out the 20%, he’ll be great,” Trump remarked.
Musk has yet to respond to Trump’s latest assessment. Whether the billionaire will heed the former president’s prediction and rejoin Republican ranks or pursue his own political experiment remains to be seen.