Elon Musk and Donald Trump: their failed friendship in quotations

Friendships are said that, unlike romantic relationships, they often do not end with a bang, but slowly fall asleep. The relationship between Elon Musk and Donald Trump, on the other hand, has always been shaped by extremes.

For a long time, the tech billionaire in particular observed the president rather skeptically and spoke out against him in his first election campaign. Even during Trump’s first term, Musk did not hold back with criticism. Trump, in turn, described him as.

When Trump applied for the presidency a second time, everything suddenly looked very different: Elon Musk and Donald Trump formed an alliance – the richest and most powerful man in the world. Quotes from the two show how they approached, became allies and finally argued.

Musk allows the ex-president to return to his platform X. and after the failed assassination attempt on Trump, the tech billionaire suddenly appears at one of his campaign events-and is very open to advertising for a second term.

Trump and Musk find more and more similarities – both not only have a lot of money, but apparently also similar interests, social views and political goals. It is becoming apparent that the billionaire could play an important role in the new government if the Republican election victory. Trump deflts in the election campaign, but still demonstrates his proximity to the Tesla boss: “Elon has done a great job. Isn’t it nice to have smart people we can rely on?” Musk should take care of cost cuts.

In an interview, Elon Musk spreads conspiracy theories that are known from Trump’s camp. He indicates that the Democrats wanted to abolish free elections and would arrest Trump supporters like him in the event of an election victory. In many of his admirers, he loses support. Musk also goes to Trump financially: he donates a total of at least $ 250 million for his election campaign.

Trump actually wins the election clearly in November 2024 – also thanks to the support of Musk. During his victory speech, he celebrates his most prominent (and richest) fan in detail: “He is a super genius. We have to protect our supergenies.”

Musk is not on stage, but shares a picture assembly of itself in the Oval Office. The richest man in the world also secures political influence, is now the closest confidant of the president. And it gets even more richer: after Trump’s triumph, the Tesla shares shoot up.

Musk gets its own, newly created authority with Doge. Trump makes a comparison to the US atomic research project in World War II. The authority is intended to reduce bureaucracy and reduce government costs, an important campaign promise of the president. With mass layoffs, however, it initially ensures a lot of chaos.

The gang between Trump and Musk are getting tighter. Publically celebrate your friendship, Musk finds: “The more I get to know President Trump, the more I like him. To be honest, I love the guy.” On another occasion, he claims that he love Trump “as much as a heterosexual man can love another man”.

But it doesn’t take long for cracks to be shown in the close relationship between the two men. Because even if some Musk see as a kind of “shadow president” – the chosen head of state still makes his decisions himself. And in particular, Trump’s punitive tariffs don’t taste Musk at all, who sees his own business threatened. The consultant on trade issues, Peter Navarro, is “really an idiot” and “Dümmer than a sack of brick,” he complains. He is also said to have clashed with a few ministers – at least behind closed doors.

After 130 days, Musk is withdrawing as a government consultant and wants to concentrate more on his companies again. The distance between the two has increased. Musk is said to have lost influence, even his savings should not be as high as announced. Nevertheless, the two Mega-Egos make goodbye to the Oval Office in perfect world. Trump praises his consultant in the highest tones and announces that he will often visit him.

As soon as Musk is no longer in government services, he pulls against the tax law of Trump from the leather, one of the president’s favorite projects. The law is “disgusting” and “hideous”. This further inflated the US state debt. Those who voted for it should “be ashamed,” explains Musk. “You know that you have wronged.” The break between him and Trump is now obvious to everyone.