The short-lived clash between CEO Elon Musk and President Donald Trump hurt Musk far more than it hurt Trump. Musk was already done serving as a special government employee, and with the election behind him, Trump doesn’t have as much to lose. Electric vehicle subsidies are critical for Tesla (TSLA), however, as are government contracts for Musk’s other companies.
Musk likely realized this, prompting him to delete his posts on X and say he went too far. Trump appears to have taken this in stride, saying he “wishes” Musk “the best.”
