GLENDALE, Ariz. — Former allies turned rivals, President Donald Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, shared a brief but telling exchange at the public memorial service for right-wing activist Charlie Kirk on September 21, 2025. The two men, whose feud had dominated headlines earlier this year, were spotted shaking hands inside State Farm Stadium in Glendale.
According to lip reader Nicola Hickling, who spoke with the Mail Online, Trump greeted Musk with a casual “How are you doing?” after turning away from UFC President Dana White. Musk, seated nearby, responded with a shrug as Trump leaned in.
“Let’s try and work out how to get back on track,” Trump reportedly added before shaking Musk’s hand again and saying, “I’ve missed you.”
Musk nodded but soon stood up and walked away. Both Trump’s team and Musk later posted photos of the exchange on social media, captioning them: “For Charlie.”
The Trump–Musk feud
The handshake came months after a public falling-out between the two men, once considered close political and business allies.
- Musk broke up with Trump over the administration’s tax and spending bill, which he slammed as “utterly insane and destructive.”
- The dispute escalated on social media, with Musk claiming Trump’s name appeared in the Epstein files.
- Musk even teased the launch of his own “America First” party, though little has come of it.
Trump, for his part, fired back by threatening to terminate Musk’s lucrative government contracts.
“The easiest way to save money in our Budget, Billions and Billions of Dollars, is to terminate Elon’s Governmental Subsidies and Contracts,” Trump posted on Truth Social in June. “I was always surprised that Biden didn’t do it!”
Musk responded by daring Trump to follow through: “Go ahead, make my day…” He later backed calls for Trump’s impeachment, suggesting Sen. JD Vance should replace him.
What their reunion signals
Whether the exchange in Arizona signals a thaw remains unclear. Trump’s words, “I’ve missed you”, suggest a willingness to reconcile, but Musk’s quick departure underscored the lingering tension.
Still, the optics of two of America’s most influential figures acknowledging each other publicly at Kirk’s memorial may hint at at least a temporary truce.
As both men remain central to politics, business, and culture, any shift in their relationship could ripple beyond their personal feud, potentially affecting debates over climate policy, government contracts, tech regulation, and the 2026 election landscape.
