Trump-Musk feud: Ted Cruz says pair should 'kiss and make up'

Sen. Ted Cruz on Thursday called President Donald Trump and Elon Musk strong-willed and brilliant, saying the two need to make up because the country does better when they work side-by-side.

Cruz said on his podcast, "Verdict with Ted Cruz," that he was inside the Oval Office when Musk started his posts on X and the relationship between the billionaire CEO and Trump imploded.

What they're saying:

"These are two alpha males who are pissed off and, unfortunately, they're unloading on each other," Cruz said. "And I wish that were not the case, because I think the country does better when these two amazing heroes are working side-by-side for the country."

Cruz went on to say Trump and Musk should "kiss and make up."

"I will say, every enemy of America, every Marxist, every person who hates our country, every person who hates freedom, is cheering for this divide to be real, to be deep, to be lasting, to be permanent," Cruz said. "Everyone who loves our country is cheering for Elon and President Trump to kiss and make up."

Cruz said Trump was angry while they were in the Oval Office on Thursday.

"Elon was saying some really harsh things," Cruz said. "It just went from zero to eleven instantaneously."

He went on to say he hopes it goes back to zero just as quickly.

"I feel like the kids of a bitter divorce where you're just saying, I really wish mommy and daddy would stop screaming," Cruz said. "I think a lot of conservatives are feeling like this is not good, let's hug and make up."

Cruz called both men correct on the crux of the argument, the "big, beautiful bill."

"President Trump is right, we have to get this one big, beautiful bill passed. We're going to," Cruz said. "Elon is right that we have to make the bill better. We have to cut more spending and tackle the deficit and debt more than we do. They're both right."

Cruz called both men good friends, saying Trump was an "extraordinary president" that would "save this country from absolute destruction" and calling Musk one of the greatest business men, innovators and thinkers "the world has ever seen."

Cruz touted Musk's work with Tesla, SpaceX and with the federal government while with DOGE.

Trump and Musk exchange barbs on social media

Dig deeper:

The rift between President Donald Trump and Elon Musk played out publicly on social media as the two hurled criticisms at the other. 

"I’m sorry, but I just can’t stand it anymore. This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination. Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong. You know it." — Musk, posted on X Tuesday.

He then escalated his criticism of Trump's "big, beautiful" budget bill, with the billionaire calling on Republican lawmakers to vote down the bill and threatened political retribution against those who took Trump's side. "In November next year, we fire all politicians who betrayed the American people," Musk posted on X.

RELATED: Musk says 'Trump is in the Epstein files' as public feud escalates

Trump said Musk had worn out his welcome at the White House and was mad that Trump was changing electric vehicle policies in ways that would financially harm Musk-led Tesla.

"Elon was ‘wearing thin,’ I asked him to leave, I took away his EV Mandate that forced everyone to buy Electric Cars that nobody else wanted (that he knew for months I was going to do!), and he just went CRAZY!" Trump wrote.

Trump added: "The easiest way to save money in our Budget, Billions and Billions of Dollars, is to terminate Elon’s Governmental Subsidies and Contracts. I was always surprised that Biden didn’t do it!"

"Time to drop the really big bomb: Trump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public. Have a nice day, DJT!" — Musk, Thursday, X post.

In a series of posts, Musk put the spotlight on ties between Trump and Jeffrey Epstein, the financier who killed himself while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges.

How did the feud start?

The backstory:

A rift began between President Donald Trump and Elon Musk as Trump pursued tariffs that could raise costs for Musk's businesses.

The Associated Press reported that Musk said Peter Navarro, the president's trade adviser, was "truly a moron" and "dumber than a sack of bricks" on April 8.

Musk, who had never before worked in public service, apparently started to sour on government. The billionaire suggested there wasn't enough political will, either in Congress or in the White House, to lower spending.

Trump began hinting that it was time for Musk to leave even though Musk said he would be willing to stay. Shortly before announcing he was leaving the White House, Musk said he was "disappointed" by legislation that Trump called the "big beautiful bill" because it would increase the deficit. 

The proposed legislation would increase the deficit while eliminating tax incentives that have helped his electric automaker Tesla. Trump responded by threatening to cut government subsidies and contracts for Musk’s companies, and things only escalated.

"I think a bill can be big or it could be beautiful," Musk said. "But I don’t know if it could be both."

Musk escalated his attacks on the bill Tuesday, calling it a "disgusting abomination," and Trump tried to fend off the criticism.

"He hasn’t said bad about me personally, but I’m sure that will be next," the president said Thursday in the Oval Office during a meeting with the German chancellor.

Musk hopped on X to express his anger at Trump, saying his tariffs "will cause a recession in the second half of this year" and accusing him of lying. He also said it was "very unfair" that the legislation would eliminate tax incentives for electric vehicles.

The Associated Press noted that Trump responded as he tried to maintain momentum for his legislation.

"I don’t mind Elon turning against me, but he should have done so months ago," the president posted. "This is one of the Greatest Bills ever presented to Congress."

PoliticsElon MuskDonald J. TrumpWashington, D.C.