Republicans are expressing concern over the escalating feud between US President Donald Trump and Elon Musk, urging both to de-escalate the situation.
The growing tension between the two prominent figures could potentially hinder the progress of key Republican legislation, specifically the tax and border spending bill championed by Mr. Trump but opposed by Mr. Musk.
Representative Dan Newhouse, a Republican from Washington state, voiced his hope that the dispute wouldn’t disrupt their legislative agenda: “I hope it doesn’t distract us from getting the job done that we need to. I think that it will boil over and they’ll mend fences.”
As of Friday afternoon, Mr. Musk appeared to be refraining from further engagement, focusing his social media activity on his various companies rather than directly attacking the president. Mr. Trump, meanwhile, departed for his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, without addressing reporters’ questions regarding the conflict with Mr. Musk.
Senator Ted Cruz, a Texas Republican, expressed his desire for reconciliation on Fox News, telling host Sean Hannity: “I hope that both of them come back together because when the two of them are working together, we’ll get a lot more done for America than when they’re at cross purposes.”
Senator Mike Lee, a Republican from Utah, conveyed his discomfort on social media, sharing a composite image of the two figures with the caption, “But … I really like both of them.”
“Who else really wants @elonmusk and @realDonaldTrump to reconcile?” Mr. Lee inquired, adding later: “Repost if you agree that the world is a better place with the Trump-Musk bromance fully intact.”
The dynamic between Mr. Trump and Mr. Musk remains fluid, potentially leading to either further escalation or a resolution.
According to a source familiar with the president’s perspective, Mr. Musk has expressed a desire to speak with Mr. Trump, but, at least as of Friday, the president appeared unwilling.
During a series of interviews with television news presenters on Friday morning, Mr. Trump showed no inclination towards reconciliation. In response to ABC News’ inquiry about a potential call between him and Mr. Musk, the president questioned, “You mean the man who has lost his mind?”
Mr. Trump further stated in the ABC interview that he was “not particularly” interested in speaking to Mr. Musk “at the moment.”
Despite the apparent tension, some remain optimistic that the situation will eventually de-escalate.
“I grew up playing hockey and there wasn’t a single day that we played hockey or basketball or football or baseball, whatever we were playing, where we didn’t fight. And then we’d fight, then we’d become friends again,” Mr. Hannity said on his show on Thursday night.
While acknowledging that matters “got personal very quick,” Mr. Hannity maintained that the disagreement stemmed from “just a major policy difference.”
House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson remains optimistic that the dispute will not negatively impact the tax and border bill’s chances of passage.
“Members are not shaken at all,” the Republican stated. “We’re going to pass this legislation on our deadline.”
He further expressed his hope for reconciliation between Mr. Musk and Mr. Trump, stating “I believe in redemption” and asserting that “it’s good for the party and the country if all that’s worked out.”
He also offered a cautionary note for the entrepreneur.
“I’ll tell you what, do not doubt and do not second-guess and don’t ever challenge the president of the United States, Donald Trump,” Mr. Johnson said. “He is the leader of the party. He’s the most consequential political figure of this generation and probably the modern era.”
