A bromance for the ages: The timeline of Donald Trump and Elon Musk's tumultuous relationship

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The fast-paced, intense relationship between two of the world's most powerful men, Donald Trump and Elon Musk, may not have been on many people's bingo cards for 2024, given their prior history.

But it blossomed to end the year.

In recent months, the tech billionaire has become the president-elect's first eponymous friend, but their relationship hasn't always been rosy. Before campaign rallies, compliments and nearby housing, the two men had their share of public disagreements and even exchanged insults.

As rumors swirl about the potential end of Trump and Musk's honeymoon, with sources reporting that Trump is already annoyed with his wealthy friend, here's a look back at their often tumultuous relationship:

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Elon Musk, the tech billionaire, recently began introducing himself as President-elect Donald Trump's first friend, despite several public feuds in the years leading up to the election (AP).

November 2016

In 2016, Musk wasn't the biggest fan of his future best friend, publicly declaring that Trump was unfit to run for the nation's highest office.

“I feel a little stronger that he's not the right person. He doesn't seem to have the kind of character that reflects the United States well,” the billionaire told CNBC at the time.

His skepticism doesn't appear to last long, however, after he was appointed by Trump to an economic advisory board, alongside Uber CEO Travis Kalanick, the month after Trump's first election victory.

June 2017

The couple's first professional relationship did not end well.

Following Trump's announcement that the United States was withdrawing from the Paris Climate Accord, Musk tendered his resignation from his role on the presidential advisory councils.

I am leaving the presidential councils. Climate change is real. Leaving Paris is not good for America or the world, Musk wrote on X, then Twitter, which is not yet under his ownership.

January 2022

Five years later, it was Trump who rekindled the relationship after describing Musk as one of the world's greatest geniuses and comparing him to Thomas Edison.

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Trump once described Musk as one of the world's greatest geniuses and compared him to Thomas Edison (Getty Images)

The president-elect told CNBC that the SpaceX boss is one of our smartest people.

Foreshadowing the present, Trump went on to say that Musk was not only good at electric cars, but he was also good at rockets. “I've never seen where the engines came down with no wings, no nothing, and they landed,” he said.

July 2022

This complimentary attitude was short-lived, as six months later, Trump called Musk another bullshit artist.

Speaking on free speech at a rally in Anchorage, Alaska, Trump discussed Musk's vow to buy the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, while promoting the his own, the future infamous Truth Social.

Elon won't buy Twitter, he said the other day. Oh, I've never voted for a Republican. I said I didn't know. He told me he had voted for me. So he's another bulls*** artist. Musk responded to a clip from the rally: I don't hate the man, but it's time for Trump to hang up his hat and sail off into the sunset.

In another social media post, he claimed Musk would have gotten down on his knees and begged if he had asked. Lmaoooo [laughing my *** off]Musk replied.

November 2022

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Musk has already been described by Trump as another bull*** artist, because the two-way relationship is everywhere (AP)

Musk's claims were ultimately not, as Trump claimed, bulls*** and Musk officially completed the acquisition of the platform in October 2022.

It appeared, however, that the July remarks had been forgiven or forgotten, after Musk reinstated Trump's account, reversing a ban that had kept Trump off the platform since the insurrection at the US Capitol on January 6.

Musk made the announcement after holding a poll asking Twitter users to click “yes” or “no” on whether Trump's account should be reinstated. The “yes” vote won with 51.8 percent. The people have spoken. Trump will be reinstated. Vox Populi, Vox Dei, he wrote.

September 2023

Musk has apparently begun to align himself more with Trump's policies, including those on immigration, coming out in favor of a US-Mexico border wall, one of Trump's most championed policies. the president-elect.

We actually need a wall and we need to require people to have minimal evidence to claim asylum and be able to enter, like everyone else does… Musk wrote.

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Musk threw his support behind Trump after the president-elect was assassinated at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania in July (AP)

March 2024

Although he grew closer to Trump, the billionaire tech boss was still publicly ambivalent about his support for either party, announcing on presidential election.

July 2024

That attitude quickly changed after Trump's assassination attempt at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

Musk endorsed Trump as a candidate seconds after he was chased off the stage by Secret Service agents, and was later reported to have said Musk would commit about $45 million a month to a new super Pro-Trump PAC called America PAC.

August 2024

Musk hosted Trump on X for a “conversation” that turned into a marathon reminiscent of the president-elect's campaign rallies. During the conversation, he suggested that Trump create a commission focused on “government efficiency” and appoint him to that commission.

Later that month, he posted: “I am ready to serve.

October 2024

Musk made his first public appearance with Trump after the former president returned to Butler. Jumping on stage excitedly and wearing a black “Make America Great Again” cap, he told the audience, “As you can see, I’m not just MAGA, I’m dark MAGA.” »

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Musk takes stage as Trump speaks at campaign rally in Butler, Pa. (AP)

The billionaire later announced he would give $1 million a day to voters in swing states who signed a petition from his America PAC to support free speech and the right to bear arms.

November 2024

Musk spent the evening with Trump and other MAGA die-hards at the president-elect's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida to watch the votes return and the Republicans' landslide victory.

Shortly afterward, Trump announced that Musk and his former rival presidential candidate, Vivek Ramaswamy, would lead a new “Department of Government Effectiveness” (DOGE, a tongue-in-cheek reference to an Internet meme favored by Musk), which would operate as an independent advisory body. group to reduce public spending and streamline bureaucracy.

Later that month, Trump traveled to Texas to attend the launch of the SpaceX spacecraft alongside Elon Musk, who now describes himself as his first buddy, and reports also indicate that the two men spend almost every days together. Musk also reportedly participated and even held talks with foreign leaders.

December 2024

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In November, Trump traveled to Texas to watch the launch of the SpaceX spacecraft alongside Musk (AP)

The dynamic duo teamed up for a coordinated but ultimately unsuccessful effort to prevent a stopgap government spending bill from passing Congress, leaving Democrats and even Republicans exhausted by the person's growing political influence. richest in the world.

The resulting concerns and descriptions of the Tesla boss as President Musk ultimately led Trump to address the dynamics of their relationship head-on. No, he will not take the presidency, Trump said in a speech. This doesn't happen.

However, the couple still seems somewhat inseparable. A New York Times report found that Musk has spent much of the past two months since the election renting a $2,000-a-night cottage on the grounds of the president-elect's Florida residence, located just a few hundred meters from the main house.

But all may not be rosy for long, with sources telling Mediate just before the New Year that Trump is now annoyed with his first pal after Musk's public spat with other members of the MAGA hardcore over visas H1B.

Trump is 100% annoyed, a source who worked on Trump's re-election campaign told the outlet. There is a Chinese saying: two tigers cannot live on top of a mountain.

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