US Vice President JD Vance has weighed in on the growing rift between Elon Musk and Donald Trump, calling the Tesla CEO’s recent online attacks a “huge mistake”.
What Vance said about Musk’s Trump-Epstein tweet?
Appearing on the podcast This Past Weekend with Theo Von, Vice President JD Vance responded for the first time to Elon Musk’s explosive claim that President Trump was named in files related to Jeffrey Epstein.
“Ok, wow. I haven’t even seen this one,” Vance remarked, after being shown the viral tweet during the episode released Saturday. Musk’s now-deleted post stated, “@realDonaldTrump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public.”
Vance dismissed the allegation saying, “First of all, absolutely not. Donald Trump didn’t do anything wrong with Jeffrey Epstein. Whatever the Democrats and the media say about him, that’s totally BS.”
Though critical of Musk’s online behaviour, Vance was measured in tone, framing the tech billionaire’s meltdown as the result of frustration and inexperience. “He’s an emotional guy,” Vance said. “I think he’s just new to politics. His businesses have been attacked non-stop since he joined the White House. That wears on a person.”
Musk’s outbursts came just a week after he stepped down from his advisory role in the Trump administration’s DOGE council. His departure was reportedly driven by both policy disagreements and personal disillusionment, according to a Wall Street Journal report. Sources claim Trump himself was losing patience with Musk’s unpredictable behaviour.
Vance calls for Trump-Musk reconciliation
Despite the back-and-forth firestorm between Musk and Trump, Vance made a plea for reconciliation. “I just think it’s a huge mistake for the world’s wealthiest man to be at war with the world’s most powerful man,” he said. “This feud isn’t in the interest of the country.”
Vance expressed hope that Musk could “come back into the fold,” saying he believes the Trump team has shown restraint: “I know the president was getting a little frustrated… But he doesn’t think he needs to be in a blood feud with Elon Musk.”
Trump says friendship with Elon Musk ‘over’
However, any chance of détente appears unlikely—at least for now. Speaking to NBC’s Kristen Welker in a phone interview on Saturday, Trump made it clear he had no plans to mend ties. “I would assume so, yeah,” he said when asked if his relationship with Musk was beyond repair. “I gave him breaks in my first administration. I saved his life. I have no intention of speaking to him.”
Trump also warned Musk of “serious consequences” if he aligns with Democrats in the 2026 midterms, deepening concerns over a potential GOP fracture.
Trump-Musk feud
Musk has publicly criticised Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, a legislative effort covering tax cuts, welfare reform, and infrastructure. Vance acknowledged Musk’s right to dissent but called his actions “over the top,” particularly his deleted suggestion that Trump be impeached and replaced by Vance himself. “It’s totally insane. The president is doing a good job,” Vance said.