Trump Softens Stance, Expects Musk Return to GOP

US President Donald Trump has softened his tone toward Elon Musk, suggesting that the Tesla CEO has "no choice" but to return to the Republican Party despite their earlier public feud. Trump described Musk as "80 per cent super genius" with some flaws, and framed Musk's political options as a choice between the GOP and "radical left lunatics." The rift between the two erupted when Musk criticized Trump's flagship tax and spending legislation, the "One Big Beautiful Bill," calling it a "disgusting abomination" and opposing elimination of electric vehicle tax credits that benefited Tesla. Musk also floated the idea of forming a third party, "The America Party," and made unverified allegations concerning Trump, prompting retaliatory threats from Trump to cut Musk's government contracts and subsidies. Despite these conflicts, both men have moved toward repairing ties, with Trump publicly defending Musk following a Gallup poll showing Musk's unpopularity, and Musk having previously backed Trump's 2024 campaign. The strained relationship had impacted Tesla's stock performance, reflecting investor concerns over potential regulatory fallout.