President Donald Trump and tech billionaire Elon Musk appeared together at a memorial service for rightwing activist Charlie Kirk, fueling speculation that a rift between the two could be over.
The two were seen shaking hands and having a short conversation at the Glendale, Arizona stadium, where people gathered to pay tribute to Kirk, who was shot dead on Sept. 10.
On X, the White House’s official account posted a picture of Musk and Trump sitting side by side, marking the first time they were seen together since June, when a feud erupted between them over Trump’s so-called One Big Beautiful Bill.
Musk had criticized the tax and spending plans for adding to U.S. debt and ending tax incentives for electric vehicles and solar energy modules, calling it “utterly insane and destructive.”
The Tesla founder suggested Trump should be impeached, took credit for his 2024 election victory, and claimed the president was in the Jeffrey Epstein files. He also said Trump’s tariffs would spark a recession in the U.S. and threatened to take his SpaceX rockets, increasingly relied upon by the government, out of service.
In July, Trump retaliated by saying he would “take a look” at the idea of deporting Musk, who was born in South Africa, though nothing has yet materialized.
Asked later about the exchange, Trump said: “Well, Elon came over and said hello. I thought it was nice that he came over. Had a little conversation. We had a good relationship, but it was nice that he came over.”
Musk also posted a picture of the reunion, with the caption: “For Charlie.”
Kirk had been a vocal supporter of Trump and Musk reconciling after their feud over the summer, telling media personality Megyn Kelly in June that he was “optimistic and will do everything I possibly can to try and bring this back together.”