WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump said on Monday he has no plans to discontinue Starlink at the White House but might move his Tesla off-site, following his announcement over the weekend that his relationship with Elon Musk, the billionaire CEO of both companies, was over.
“I may move the Tesla around a little bit, but I don’t think we’ll be doing that with Starlink. It’s a good service,” Mr. Trump told reporters, referring to the satellite internet company that provides high-speed broadband access. It is a unit of Mr. Musk’s SpaceX.
In March, Mr. Trump said he had purchased a red Tesla Model S from Mr. Musk, Mr. Trump’s then-close ally.
Last week, a White House official said Mr. Trump might get rid of it after a public feud erupted between the two men. The Tesla was seen parked at the White House over the weekend.
On Saturday, Mr. Trump said he had no intention of repairing ties with Mr. Musk. On Monday, the president said he would not have a problem if Mr. Musk called.
“We had a good relationship, and I just wish him well,” Mr. Trump said. Mr. Musk responded with a heart emoji to a video on X showing Trump’s remarks.
Last week, Mr. Trump and Mr. Musk exchanged a flurry of insults after the world’s richest man denounced Mr. Trump’s tax and spending bill as a “disgusting abomination.”
Mr. Musk’s opposition has complicated Republican efforts to pass Mr. Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” in Congress, where the party holds slim majorities in the House of Representatives and Senate.
Since the dispute began last Thursday, Mr. Musk has deleted some social media posts critical of Mr. Trump, including one signaling support for impeaching the president.
Sources close to Mr. Musk said his anger has started to subside, and they believe he may want to repair his relationship with Mr. Trump. — Reuters
