Trump Defends Elon Musk as Howard Lutnick Snickers Over Billionaire’s Dismal Polling Crash
President Donald Trump defended former “first buddy” Elon Musk during a presser Wednesday as Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick scoffed behind him at the mention of the tech billionaire’s polling crash.
Musk suffered the most devastating popularity collapse recorded by a new Gallup poll of prominent U.S. and global newsmakers. He went from a modest -4 net favorability (43% favorable, 47% unfavorable) in January to deep underwater at -28, with just 33% viewing him favorably and 61% unfavorably, a striking 24-point drop.
During the gaggle in the Oval Office, a reporter asked: “A new Gallup poll says that Elon Musk is the most unpopular public figure in the country right now. I’m wondering, do you miss having him around the White House right now or is that poll accurate?”
The question drew audible laughter from Lutnick, who stood in camera view behind Trump as he scoffed at Musk.
Without acknowledging Lutnick, Trump replied: “I don’t know if the poll’s accurate. I think he’s a good person, and I think had a bad moment, really bad moment, but he’s a good person. I believe that.”
Musk, who resigned two months ago as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has since clashed bitterly and publicly with Trump over his Big Beautiful Bill, policies and engaged in personal shots at the president – including jabs in now-deleted tweets about Trump’s past associations with convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
During his time on Trump’s team Musk reportedly clashed with several cabinet members but had previously pushed Lutnick for Treasury Secretary. Musk later mocked Lutnick’s defense of Trump’s tariff regime, a policy from which he deviated with the administration.
Watch above via X.
