Trump will sell his Tesla, says the White House, as the dispute with Musk poses risks for both men
His outburst leaves President Trump with a former ally who could politically undermine him and Elon Musk facing the potential loss of billions in government contracts.
President Trump is getting rid of his Tesla and has no plans to call Elon Musk, two Trump administration officials said on Friday, as the heated breakup of their partnership left both men, who hurled insults and threats at each other online on Thursday, with a lot at stake.
A White House official who spoke on condition of anonymity because the person was not authorized to speak publicly said on Friday that the president planned to sell the red Tesla he said he bought in March.
Mr. Trump originally bought the car to show his support for Mr. Musk amid negative backlash over his role in the administration. Administration officials said Mr. Trump showed little interest in engaging with Mr. Musk, even after the billionaire indicated he would be open to de-escalating the fight.
Late Thursday, Mr. Musk backed away from a threat to dismantle “immediately” SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft, which transports NASA astronauts and supplies to and from the International Space Station. A little later, when Bill Ackman, the hedge fund billionaire, posted on social media that the two men “should make peace for the sake of our great country,” Mr. Musk replied: “You are not wrong.”
For Mr. Musk, a prolonged dispute with Mr. Trump could be very costly. His companies, including SpaceX, have benefited from billions of dollars in government contracts and were positioned to receive billions more. Mr. Trump threatened on Thursday to terminate those contracts.
