While Wall Street was still pondering the public feud between Trump and Musk, the White House had already quietly acted—they arranged for Trump and Musk to have a phone call tonight.
White House staff advised Trump to stop fixating on arguing with Musk and focus on pushing his important bill (the "Great Beautiful Plan") through the Senate.
Last night, things changed quite quickly. Musk had just strongly criticized Trump regarding the bill, yet Trump appeared to be unconcerned during an interview with foreign media.
When asked about the fallout with Musk, who was once a big supporter, Trump said, "Oh, it's fine, everything is great, couldn't be better." Then he began to boast about his approval ratings being particularly high, claiming it was the highest of his life.
His indifferent attitude is completely different from how he and Musk were attacking each other online just a few hours ago. More importantly, Trump's aides have arranged for him to have a phone call with Musk tonight, aiming to get them to stop arguing.
Wall Street big shots rushed to mediate.
Seeing these two most influential people in the world in conflict, and that this matter could affect a bill involving trillions of dollars, the big shots in the financial world couldn't sit still. A hedge fund manager named Bill Ackman was the first to speak out online, urging them to stop arguing.
He said, "I support Trump and Musk, they should work for the interests and good of our country." Musk replied, "You're right."
Another netizen advised both of them to calm down and give way. Musk replied, "Good suggestion, I won't stop my space project (Dragon spacecraft)."
Musk's response was seen as a good sign, indicating he was willing to ease relations. A media person said that a small account with only 184 followers "actually helped to ease the relationship of the two most powerful people."
Can they really make up?
Sources close to the White House said that Trump's aides had been advising him not to criticize Musk so harshly in public to avoid escalating the situation. This persuasion seemed to have some effect by Thursday—Trump's remarks on his social platform were noticeably restrained.
He wrote: "I don't mind Elon opposing me, but he should have done it earlier." Then he immediately shifted the topic back to the bill, saying, "This is one of the best bills handed over to Congress."
The White House assistant still suggested: Trump should focus on pushing the bill through the Senate and not compete with Musk.
The core of their argument is Trump's "Great Beautiful Plan." This plan includes many things he wants to do, such as tax cuts, strengthening immigration control, and so on. Musk is particularly opposed to this plan, mainly because it is expected to add $2.4 trillion to the national debt (increasing the huge deficit), and this disagreement directly led to the public falling out between the two.
The bill is about to undergo a critical vote in the Senate, and any potential disruption (like their argument) is a significant risk. Tonight's call is crucial; it may determine whether this important bill can proceed smoothly and whether these two business tycoons can set aside personal grievances for the greater good (political reality).