Musk Rushes to Bend the Knee to Trump After Public Shaming
The world’s richest man dutifully fell in line and did exactly as Trump asked after the president talked down to him at a billionaire gathering.
Jim Watson/Getty Images
Elon Musk groveled to Donald Trump after the president publicly humiliated his former “first buddy” at a billionaire gathering.
Musk is making his first public appearances in Washington this week as the two men inch toward rebuilding their once-flourishing bromance.
But Trump signaled that tensions between the two have yet to completely dissipate on Wednesday while giving a speech at a Saudi investment forum at the Kennedy Center, talking down to the billionaire in front of the crowd.
“You are so lucky I am with you Elon. Has he ever thanked me properly?” Trump said, as the crowd laughed.
The Tesla boss was seated in the front row alongside Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, NVIDIA chief executive Jensen Huang, and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles.
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The investment forum was also attended by executives from companies across the country, including Chevron, General Dynamics, Pfizer, IBM, Google, and Boeing.
After the forum, the world’s richest man dutifully fell in line and did exactly as the president asked.
Just a few months ago, Elon Musk had floated a new political party that he said would "give you back your freedom."
Elon Musk/X
“I would like to thank President Trump for all he has done for America and the world,” Musk posted to his 229 million followers on X.
Just a few months ago, Musk had branded Trump’s spending bill a “disgusting abomination” before alleging that “the real reason” the Trump administration has kept the Epstein files sealed is because Trump himself appears in them.
Elon Musk and Donald Trump appear to have entered a new chapter of their impassioned relationship.
Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
Then, the one-time Trump adviser and DOGE boss threatened to form a new political party to thwart Republicans’ electoral chances.
“Today, the America Party is formed to give you back your freedom,” Musk announced in July, although he ditched the venture since cozying back up to Trump.
The frost ultimately melted when the two sat together at right-wing activist Charlie Kirk’s memorial in September. Trump later put the fallout down to Musk having “a bad moment” and said “I suspect I’ll always like him.”
In addition to his attendance at the forum, Musk was also one of the guests at Trump’s swanky Tuesday night dinner for the Saudi crown prince. Trump greeted Musk with a tap on the torso as he entered the room.
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