Donald Trump says, I like Tesla and adds a word for Elon Musk: He ...

After a heated online feud, US President Donald Trump has shifted his stance on

Tesla

CEO Elon Musk, stating at a

White House event

, “I like Tesla” and referring to Musk as a "friend" who "got a little bit strange." The remark comes just days after Musk publicly expressed regret over his harsh criticism of Trump’s policies. Trump's latest remarks signal a potential reconciliation between the two influential figures. The conflict between Trump and Musk escalated earlier this month when Musk called Trump’s tax bill a “disgusting abomination” and even suggested that the president should be impeached. Trump responded by expressing “disappointment” in Musk and hinting at potential repercussions for Tesla and SpaceX’s

government contracts

.

Donald Trump says, ‘I like Tesla’

During a White House event on Thursday, June 12, 2025, where Trump was moving to revoke California's stringent electric vehicle (EV) mandates. While discussing electric cars, Trump remarked, "A lot of people love the electric. They like Tesla. So do I. In all fairness, I like Tesla and I like others too, but I also like

combustion engines

."He then made a pointed, yet jovial, reference to Musk, quipping, "Now we know why Elon doesn't like me so much, which he does, actually. He does.”

Elon Musk’s public apology to Donald Trump

Tesla CEO Elon Musk publicly expressed regret for his critical social media posts directed at President Donald Trump. The apology, posted on X (formerly Twitter), followed a brief phone call between Elon Musk and Donald Trump, signalling a potential reconciliation after days of heated exchanges.In a post on Twitter that tags Trump, Elon Musk has expressed regret. "I regret some of my posts about President @realDonaldTrump last week. They went too far," said Musk in the post.