A bromance for the ages: The timeline of Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s tumultuous relationship
The rapid and intense bromance between two of the world’s most powerful men – Donald Trump and Elon Musk – may not have been on many people’s bingo cards for 2024, given their previous history.
But, it blossomed to end the year.
In recent months, the tech billionaire has become the self-titled “first buddy” to the president-elect, but their relationship has not always been rosy. Before the campaign rallies, compliments and close proximity lodgings, the pair have had their fair share of public disagreements and even exchanged insults.
With rumors swirling of a potential end to the honeymoon period between Trump and Musk – sources report that Trump is already becoming “annoyed” with his wealthy friend – here is a look back at their often tumultuous relationship:
November 2016
In 2016, Musk was not the biggest fan of his future bestie, stating publicly that Trump was not fit to run for the nation’s highest office.
"I feel a bit stronger that he is not the right guy. He doesn’t seem to have the sort of character that reflects well on the United States," the billionaire told CNBC at the time.
His skepticism did not appear to last long however, after he was appointed by Trump to an economic advisory council, alongside Uber CEO Travis Kalanick, the next month following Trump’s first election win.
June 2017
The pair’s first professional relationship did not end well.
After Trump’s announcement that the U.S. would be withdrawing from the Paris Climate Agreement, Musk tendered his resignation from his positions on the presidential advisory boards.
“Am departing presidential councils. Climate change is real. Leaving Paris is not good for America or the world,” Musk wrote on X, then-Twitter, and not yet under his ownership.
January 2022
Five years later, it was Trump who rekindled the relationship after describing Musk as one of the world’s “great geniuses” and likening him to Thomas Edison.
The President-elect told CNBC that the SpaceX boss was “one of our very smart people.”
Foreshadowing the present, Trump went on to say that Musk was not only good at electric cars, but “he does good at rockets, too, by the way. “I never saw where the engines come down with no wings, no anything, and they’re landing,” he said.
July 2022
That complimentary attitude was short lived, as just six months later Trump referred to Musk as “another bulls*** artist.”
Speaking about free speech at a rally in Anchorage, Alaska, Trump mused over Musk’s vow that he would buy the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, while promoting his own – the soon-to-be-infamous Truth Social.
“Elon is not going to buy Twitter… he said the other day ‘Oh, I’ve never voted for a Republican’. I said ‘I didn’t know that’. He told me he voted for me. So he’s another bulls*** artist.” Musk replied to a clip of the rally: “I don’t hate the man, but it’s time for Trump to hang up his hat & sail into the sunset.”
In another social media post he claimed that Musk would have “dropped to his knees and begged” if he had asked. “Lmaooo [laughing my *** off],” Musk responded.
November 2022
Musk’s claims were ultimately not, as Trump claimed, “bulls***” – and Musk officially completed the acquisition of the platform in October 2022.
It seemed as though the July remarks were forgiven or forgotten however, after Musk reinstated Trump’s account, reversing a ban that had kept Trump off the platform since the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on January 6.
Musk made the announcement after holding a poll that asked Twitter users to click "yes" or "no" on whether Trump’s account should be reinstated. The "yes" vote won, with 51.8 percent. “The people have spoken. Trump will be reinstated. Vox Populi, Vox Dei,” he wrote.
September 2023
Musk seemingly began to align more with Trump policies, including those on immigration, posting in favor of a U.S. border wall with Mexico – one of the President-elect’s most championed policies.
“We actually do need a wall and we need to require people to have some shred of evidence to claim asylum to enter, as everyone is doing that...” Musk wrote.
March 2024
Despite moving toward Trump, the billionaire tech boss was still publicly ambivalent in backing either party, announcing on X that he would not donate to a candidate in the presidential election.
July 2024
That attitude changed quickly following the attempted assassination of Trump at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Musk endorsed Trump as a candidate seconds after he was rushed off stage by secret service agents, and it was later reported that he said Musk would commit around $45 million a month to a new pro-Trump super PAC called America PAC.
August 2024
Musk hosted Trump on X for a "conversation" that turned into a marathon ramble reminiscent of the president-elect’s campaign rallies. During the chat he suggested that Trump should form a commission focused on "government efficiency" and appoint him to it.
Later that month he posted "I am willing to serve.”
October 2024
Musk made his first public appearance with Trump after the former president returned to Butler. Bouncing onto the stage excitedly and wearing a black "Make America Great Again" cap, he told crowds: "As you can see, I’m not just MAGA — I’m dark MAGA."
The billionaire later announced that he would give away $1 million a day to voters in swing states who have signed a petition from his America PAC to support free speech and the right to bear arms.
November 2024
Musk spent the evening with Trump and other MAGA die-hards at the president-elect’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida to watch the vote returns and the sweeping Republican victory.
Shortly after, Trump announced that Musk and his former presidential candidate rival Vivek Ramaswamy would lead a new "Department of Government Efficiency" (DOGE – a tongue-in-cheek reference to an internet meme favored by Musk), which will operate as an independent advisory group to cut government spending and streamline bureaucracy.
Later that month Trump traveled to Texas to witness SpaceX’s Starship launch alongside Musk – who now refers to himself as “First Buddy” – with reports also emerging that the pair spend “almost every day together.” Musk is also reported to have sat in on and even held talks with foreign leaders.
December 2024
The dynamic duo teamed up for a coordinated but ultimately unsuccessful effort to tank a stopgap government spending bill from passing in Congress, leaving both Democrats and even Republicans exhausted with the growing political influence of the world’s wealthiest person.
Resulting concerns and descriptions of the Tesla boss as “president Musk” eventually led Trump to address their relationship dynamic head-on. “No, he’s not taking the presidency,” Trump declared in a speech. “That’s not happening.”
However, the pair still appear to be somewhat inseparable. A report from The New York Times revealed that Musk spent much of the last two months since the election renting a $2,000-per-night cottage on the grounds of the president-elect’s Florida residence – which is located just several hundred feet from the main house.
But all may not be roses for long, with sources telling Mediate just before the New Year that Trump is now becoming “annoyed” with his “first buddy” following Musk’s public spat with other members of the MAGA hardcore over H1B visas.
“100 percent Trump is annoyed,” a source who worked on Trump’s re-election campaign told the outlet. “There’s a Chinese saying: ‘two tigers cannot live on one mountaintop.’”