Vice President J.D. Vance has played a major role in repairing the relationship between President Donald Trump and kingmaker Elon Musk following their heated public spat this summer, according to a new report.
More than a dozen people familiar with the matter said Vance quietly made phone calls, back-communicated with Musk’s allies and offered the SpaceX and Tesla CEO concessions to rejoin the companies. washington post.
Vance’s close personal friendship with Musk and their shared tech-centric worldview make him well-suited to bridge the divide. Plus, he’s in it — winning back Musk’s support could speed his path to the Republican nomination in 2028.
Still, sources told the outlet that the peaceful relationship between the president and the billionaire remains fragile.
Here’s an overview of how the vice president reportedly brought Musk back into the presidential orbit postal.
A new report suggests that Vice President J.D. Vance played a major role in easing the relationship between President Donald Trump and Elon Musk. (AFP via Getty Images)
After Trump took office in January, Musk quickly became one of the most influential figures in the government, spearheading the Department of Government Effectiveness’ efforts to recommend deep cuts in government spending.
But relations soured months later as Musk clashed with lawmakers and several government officials, some of whom believed he had overstepped his authority.
“He’s used to being emperor,” one of Musk’s colleagues told the outlet. postal. “But he doesn’t have a lot of respect in Congress. And he’s not involved in politics.”
In early June, White House aide Sergio Gor informed Trump that Jared Isaacman, Musk’s preferred choice to lead NASA, had donated to Democrats. In response, Trump withdrew the nomination. Three days later, Musk attacked the president online for “a big, beautiful bill.”
At this point, Vance reached out to Musk — whom he hosted for dinner in February and has spoken regularly with Musk since — to defuse the situation. But it didn’t work.
In a public spat in June, the SpaceX CEO accused Trump of appearing in the government’s dossier on Jeffrey Epstein and vowed to launch a new political party, which he dubbed “The American Party.” Trump said Musk had “gone off track.”
Trump has not been charged with Epstein and has denied any wrongdoing.
The high-profile rift set off alarm bells throughout the MAGA world. Musk has spent hundreds of millions of dollars on Republican campaigns, and by forming a new party, he could split the Republican base and pave the way for Democratic victory.
when contacting a person postalVance declined to comment, while Musk did not respond.
Sources told The Washington Post that while the president and the tech giants are once again on good terms, their truce is delicate (AFP via Getty Images)
Trump officials, led by Vance, began working behind the scenes to ease Musk’s concerns and repair his relationship with Trump.
Rather than speaking directly to Musk, the vice president began calling people close to the South African-born billionaire — who said his threats were not unfounded.
“Whenever Elon speaks, there are only two possibilities,” one of his colleagues told The Washington Post. “He’s either telling you what he wants you to do – or what he’s going to do – or he’s trying to be funny. I don’t have an explanation [the third party announcement] Just as fun. “
Musk speaks regularly with the Vice President, whom he considers a strong candidate in 2028 (Getty Images)
Several developments changed Musk’s plans.
For one, those around him are hesitant to form a third party – they believe such a move has little chance of success in a system long dominated by two major parties.
In September, conservative activist Charlie Kirk was assassinated while speaking on a Utah college campus. Musk was spurred by the attack to become more involved in Republican politics, even expressing his desire to return to politics before the midterm elections.
Moreover, Vance’s efforts to de-escalate the situation appear to have borne fruit.
The vice president privately lobbied administration officials and senators to get Isaacman’s nomination to NASA back on track, despite opposition from Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, NASA’s acting administrator, sources said.
The White House also reappointed Gore and sent him to overseas posts.
“[Gor’s ouster] Makes it easier for everyone to like each other again,” said a source familiar with the situation.
Soon, Musk returned to Trump’s world. In November, he appeared at a White House dinner for Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
However, sources in both camps told the Wall Street Journal that the newly formed peace remained “fragile.” postal.
Still, Vance’s relationship with Musk appears to be solid. The Tesla CEO predicted in a December interview that the vice president would succeed Trump in 2028 and serve a second term as president.
“He likes that kingmaker role,” one source said of Musk. “Part of being a kingmaker is making sure everyone in the world knows you’re the king.”