In a dramatic turn after days of heated online clashes, billionaire Elon Musk has said he regrets posting critical comments about US President Donald Trump, signalling what social media users are calling a "big beautiful patch-up" between the two powerful figures.
"I regret some of my posts about President Donald Trump last week. They went too far," Musk posted on Wednesday, days after he deleted a series of posts accusing Trump of being mentioned in Jeffrey Epstein-related files.
The tech billionaire's remarks had fuelled speculation that he was implying a deeper connection between the MAGA supremo and the convicted sex offender.
Netizens were both surprised and taken aback by the unlikely feud, expressing funny, emotional, and predictable reactions to the "patch-up".
The fallout came just a week after Trump and Musk appeared at a joint press conference where the president praised Musk's contributions as he stepped down as head of the Department of Government Efficiency. "Elon gave an incredible service. There’s nobody like him," Trump had said.
But tensions exploded after Musk posted fierce criticism of Trump's spending bill on X, labelling it the "Big Ugly Bill". He wrote, "I’m sorry, but I just can’t stand it anymore. This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination."
Trump responded from the White House with visible disappointment. "Elon and I had a great relationship. I don’t know if we will anymore," he said. The president later used his Truth Social platform to accuse Musk of going "crazy" after he removed government subsidies for electric vehicles.
The argument intensified as Musk continued to post critiques and floated the idea of forming a new political party. He even suggested that he would outlast Trump politically, noting, "Trump has 3.5 years left as President, but I will be around for 40+ years."
At one point, Musk claimed, "Donald Trump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public." The post was later deleted, but it ignited a storm online.
In retaliation, Trump defended his policies and claimed Musk's business empire benefited from government support that could now be at risk. Musk sarcastically responded by saying SpaceX would start decommissioning its Dragon spacecraft, though he reversed the statement hours later.
Musk also reshared posts suggesting Trump should be impeached and replaced by Vice President JD Vance, further deepening the divide. The tech mogul also shared a 1992 video of Trump and Musk together.
By Wednesday, though, the mood had shifted. Musk's expression of regret hinted at a desire to de-escalate the feud, with observers wondering if a full reconciliation might be on the horizon. Many online have dubbed the development the "big beautiful patch-up", referencing Trump's often-used phrase.
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