People have been obsessing over that video. You know the one. Donald Trump and Elon Musk, sitting side-by-side at State Farm Stadium in Arizona during the memorial for Charlie Kirk. It was the first time they’d been seen together in months after a pretty nasty public fallout.
Everyone wanted to know: what were they actually saying?
When the cameras are too far away to catch the audio, the internet does what it does best. It looks for a lip reader. Nicola Hickling, a forensic lip-reading expert who often works with major outlets like the Daily Mail, took a crack at the footage. What she found wasn't a heated argument or a tech briefing.
It was actually kinda personal.
The Breakdown: What the Lip Reader Actually Saw
It started with a greeting that sounded almost... normal? Trump allegedly leaned in and asked, "How are you doing?"
Musk didn't give a big, theatrical response. He just shrugged. Honestly, it’s exactly how you’d expect a billionaire who’s been feuding with the President to act in a bulletproof box.
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According to Hickling’s analysis, Trump then moved right into the "elephant in the room." He reportedly said, "So Elon, I’ve heard you wanted to chat." This part is key because it suggests there had been some back-channeling before they ever sat down in Glendale.
"I've Missed You"
This is the line that went viral.
After a brief exchange where UFC President Dana White joined the huddle, Trump supposedly looked at Musk and said, "Let’s try and work out how to get back on track."
Musk nodded.
Then came the kicker. Trump apparently gripped Musk’s hand and said, "I’ve missed you."
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It sounds like a scene from a movie, but in the context of their "bromance" and subsequent breakup, it fits the pattern. These are two massive egos who, for a time, were essentially running the country together through the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) before things went south.
Why They Were Fighting in the First Place
To understand why a lip reader was even necessary, you have to remember how bad things had gotten. This wasn't just a "we disagree on taxes" kind of fight.
- The Big Beautiful Bill: Musk had been a huge critic of Trump’s signature "One Big Beautiful Bill" Act, calling it fiscally irresponsible.
- The Resignation: Musk stepped down from his role at DOGE back in May 2024.
- The Epstein Factor: Things got really dark when Musk hinted on X (formerly Twitter) that Trump might be mentioned in the Jeffrey Epstein files. He later deleted the post and said he "went too far," but the damage was done.
- The Third Party Threat: Musk even floated the idea of starting a new political party.
Trump didn't take it lying down, either. He called Musk a "b--- artist" and threatened to yank government contracts from SpaceX and Tesla.
So, seeing them whisper in a stadium was a big deal.
Is the "Thaw" Real?
Honestly, it’s hard to tell if this was a genuine reconciliation or just two powerful guys showing respect at a funeral. Charlie Kirk was a major bridge between them. He’d been texting Musk for months, basically telling him that his public attacks were hurting the conservative movement.
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The fact that they were in the same room, talking, and—if the lip reader is right—expressing some level of mutual longing, suggests the "feud" might be moving into a new phase.
What Most People Get Wrong
People think these interactions are always about high-level policy. Usually, they aren't. Lip readers often find that these "secret" conversations are remarkably mundane or surprisingly emotional.
In this case, it wasn't about the debt ceiling or SpaceX launches. It was about "getting back on track."
Actionable Insights: How to Spot a Reliable Lip Reading Analysis
If you're following the "Lip Reader Trump Musk" saga or any future viral political whispers, keep these things in mind to avoid being misled by fake news:
- Check the Source: Look for names like Nicola Hickling or Jeremy Freeman. These are established forensic experts, not just random TikTokers with a "hunch."
- Look for Corroboration: Did the body language match the words? In the Glendale video, the handshake and the nod from Musk align perfectly with the "let's get back on track" interpretation.
- Context Matters: A lip reader can only see what the camera sees. If a head turns or a hand covers a mouth, the "transcript" is just a guess.
- Watch for Official Statements: After the event, Trump told reporters, "Elon came over and said hello... I thought it was nice." This semi-confirms the interaction was cordial, lending weight to the lip reader's "warm" interpretation.
The reality of power is that it’s often more personal than we think. While the world watches for policy shifts, sometimes the biggest moves start with a simple, "I've missed you."
Stay skeptical of "perfect" transcripts that sound too much like a script. Real human conversation is messy, filled with shrugs and half-sentences—exactly what was reported here.