Elon Musk's great return to the White House. The billionaire is back at Donald Trump's side
Elon Musk appeared in Washington on November 18, where he attended a gala dinner hosted by Donald Trump on the occasion of the visit of Saudi Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the US. According to Reuters, the billionaire's presence at the dinner is a possible signal of reconciliation after several months of tensions. Relations between Musk and the White House have been tumultuous in recent months.
Elon Musk actively supported Donald Trump's election campaign, donating a total of over $29 million. After the new president was sworn in in January 2025, the billionaire took over as head of the Department of Government Effectiveness (DOGE). He was responsible for reducing government employment and federal spending.
Elon Musk returned to the White House. He previously had a falling out with Trump
A conflict between the US president and the Tesla owner occurred in June, when Musk sharply criticized the president's tax reforms and spending, describing them as irresponsible financial management. The billionaire then announced the creation of a new political party, to which Trump responded by threatening to withdraw billions of dollars in subsidies to Musk's companies, financed from the federal budget.
Elon Musk at dinner at the White House
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Brendan Smialowski / East News
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Elon Musk and Donald Trump have barely appeared together in public since tensions escalated. They were last seen in September at a memorial for far-right activist Charlie Kirk. They talked to each other in the stands, and Musk shook the president's hand.
According to experts, the dispute between Musk and Trump, as well as the radical opinions expressed by the billionaire on social media, have negatively affected Tesla's reputation. The conflict affected not only the sales of electric cars, but also the company's stock market quotations. Despite this, shareholders decided to award Musk a record salary, which could make him the world's first trillionaire in the next 10 years.
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As Reuters writes, the dinner at the White House was important for international relations. President Trump hosted a prince from Saudi Arabia, who has been trying to improve his image in the international arena and tighten cooperation with Washington for a long time. The invitees also included Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang.
