In a show of unity and fulfilling a wish stated by Charlie Kirk, President Donald Trump appeared side by side with billionaire Elon Musk at a memorial event for conservative leader Kirk on Sunday, signaling a potential thaw in a relationship that had fractured in recent years.
The two were briefly seated together in the stands of the stadium in Glendale, Arizona, where tens of thousands gathered to pay tribute to Kirk, who was assassinated on Sept. 10 at a Utah university campus. Video of Trump and Musk exchanging a handshake was shared by the official White House account on X, the platform owned by Musk.
Musk also posted an image of the pair sitting together, captioned simply: “For Charlie.”
Musk first came to Trump’s side after the July 13, 2024, assassination attempt, becoming one of Trump’s closest allies. Now, the assassination of Kirk might bring them back together.
Musk donated more than $270 million to his presidential campaign and served as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) after Trump’s second-term victory. The DOGE initiative made headlines for cutting waste, fraud, and abuse in government bloat and spending.
However, the relationship soured dramatically over Trump’s tax-and-spending package, which Musk derided as “utterly insane and destructive.” The falling out prompted Musk to briefly launch his own third party, though the movement has yet to gain traction.
The joint appearance at the Kirk memorial is the first time the two men have been publicly seen together since their break. Trump and Musk appeared to chat amicably, raising questions about whether the former allies are seeking a reconciliation — or at least a public truce.
Given Musk’s enduring political clout, deep financial resources, and control of the social media platform where much of American political discourse unfolds, his proximity to Trump could carry significant implications ahead of future Republican battles.
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