Trump Downplays Elon Musk Reunion After Charlie Kirk Memorial Exchange
President Donald Trump shrugged off the idea that he and Elon Musk reconciled at Charlie Kirk’s memorial service, despite cameras catching the pair in a rare, cordial exchange.
The president and the Tesla boss were spotted speaking side-by-side in Trump’s box at State Farm Stadium in Arizona on Sunday, shaking hands and chatting as Musk smiled.
One journalist pressed the president on the interaction in a press gaggle aboard Air Force One after the event, asking whether the memorial brought the two back together.
Trump downplayed the significance of the brief chat, although he called it “nice”:
Well, Elon came over and said hello. And, no, it’s nothing to do with that. It was — I thought it was nice. And he came over. Had a little conversation. We had a very good relationship. But it was nicer that he came.
Musk and Trump’s appearance together comes after months of turbulence between the once-close allies. The Tesla chief, who served briefly in Trump’s administration to lead DOGE, accused him this summer of suppressing files on Jeffrey Epstein and threatened to launch a new political party.
Trump retaliated by hinting at reviewing Musk’s lucrative government contracts.
Trump recently described Musk as “80% super genius, and then 20% he’s got some problems.”
Also spotted in Trump’s box at the memorial were UFC chief executive Dana White and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. Trump took the opportunity to hype the America 250 UFC event at the White House.
Dana White was there. The great Dana White. You know, the big question is the — having the UFC fight at the — I know you won’t accept tickets because you’re with the fake news. You’re not allowed to accept tickets. But we’re going to have a UFC fight right at the White House. And we’re going to end up probably 6,000 people in front of the White House. And then on the ellipse, we’re gonna have 80 or 90,000. It’s going to be an unbelievable event that a lot of people are talking about.
Watch above via X.
