If you’ve been scrolling through X or Truth Social lately, you’ve probably seen the headlines. One day they’re best friends, the next day they’re basically at war. It’s a rollercoaster. Honestly, keeping up with whether is elon musk and trump still friends feels like watching a high-stakes soap opera where the script changes every hour.
But as of January 2026, things have taken a sharp turn back toward "it’s complicated, but they’re talking." After a year that saw Musk lead a government department, quit in a huff, and then threaten to start his own political party, the two billionaires were just spotted having a "lovely dinner" at Mar-a-Lago.
The Bromance That Burned Out (and Relit)
Let's be real for a second. In 2024, they were inseparable. Musk was jumping on stages in Butler, Pennsylvania, wearing a "Dark MAGA" hat. He put over $200 million of his own cash into getting Trump elected. It worked.
When 2025 kicked off, Trump gave Musk the keys to the kingdom: the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). It was supposed to be the ultimate team-up. Musk was going to "delete" $2 trillion in waste, and Trump was going to let him.
It didn't last. By June 2025, the honeymoon was dead.
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Musk didn't just leave; he torched the bridge on his way out. He called Trump’s massive spending bill—the "One Big, Beautiful Bill"—a "disgusting abomination." He even suggested the Republicans were "betraying the American people." Trump, never one to take a punch quietly, fired back that Musk was "wearing thin" and claimed he'd basically kicked Musk out of the White House.
Why the 2025 Breakup Happened
Most people think it was just about the money, but it was deeper. Musk is a guy who likes to be the smartest person in the room. Trump is a guy who is the room.
- The Spending Clash: Musk wanted to cut everything. Trump wanted to pass a signature bill with tons of projects.
- The "Main Character" Problem: You can't have two suns in the same solar system. Trump's advisors were reportedly getting sick of Musk’s constant presence.
- The Epstein Incident: Things got really dark when Musk—in a since-deleted post—suggested Trump might be in the Epstein files. That’s usually a friendship-ender.
So, Is Elon Musk and Trump Still Friends Now?
The answer, surprisingly, is yes—sorta.
Fast forward to late 2025. The two were seen shaking hands at a memorial for Charlie Kirk. Then came the shocker: the Mar-a-Lago dinner on January 3, 2026. Musk posted a photo of himself with Donald and Melania, captioned "2026 is going to be amazing!"
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Why the sudden change of heart? Politics makes strange bedfellows, but business makes them even stranger.
Trump needs Musk's tech and his massive reach on X. Musk needs the government to stop investigating Tesla and SpaceX. It's a "peace of convenience." Trump even started calling the public feud a "stupid moment" in Musk's life, which is Trump-speak for "I'm willing to ignore it if you play ball."
What This Means for 2026
We’re heading into the midterms. Musk has already signaled he’s going to fund GOP candidates again. He’s back in the inner circle, even if he doesn't have an official title like he did with DOGE.
But don't expect it to stay smooth. These are two of the most volatile egos on the planet. One bad tweet or one rejected contract for Starlink could send them back into a social media war.
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Actionable Insights for Following the Trump-Musk Saga
If you're trying to figure out where this relationship is going next, don't just look at the selfies. Watch these specific markers:
- Watch the Federal Contracts: If SpaceX starts winning massive new defense contracts, the friendship is solid. If NASA starts looking at competitors, there’s trouble in paradise.
- Check the Truth Social "Liking" Patterns: Trump usually signals a fallout by "Re-Truthing" articles that criticize Musk. If those start popping up, a breakup is imminent.
- Monitor the "America Party": Musk floated this idea during their feud. If he mentions it again, the alliance is officially dead.
- Follow the 2026 Midterm Spending: Watch where Musk’s America PAC puts its money. If he’s backing Trump-endorsed candidates, the "lovely dinner" wasn't just for show.
The reality is that is elon musk and trump still friends depends entirely on what day of the week it is. For now, they’ve called a truce because they both realize they’re more powerful together than they are as enemies. Just don't expect the peace to last forever.
Stay tuned to their social media feeds—that's where the real news breaks before the press even gets a whiff of it.