MOSCOW, Russia — Errol Musk, father of tech billionaire Elon Musk, has downplayed the escalating feud between his son and U.S. President Donald Trump, attributing the dispute to stress and fatigue, and suggesting that Elon made a “mistake” by publicly criticising the president.
Speaking during a visit to Moscow in an interview with Russian newspaper Izvestia, Errol Musk said both men have been under “a lot of stress” and urged the public to allow them some leeway.
“They have been under a lot of stress for five months — give them a break,” he said.
“They are very tired and stressed, so you can expect something like this.”
The rift erupted last week when Elon Musk denounced Trump’s sweeping tax and spending bill on social media, calling it a “disgusting abomination.”
The post triggered a public war of words between the two, culminating in Trump declaring that his relationship with Musk was “over.”
“He’s the president, he was elected as the president. Elon made a mistake, I think,” Errol added.
“But he is tired, he is stressed.”
He went on to describe the fallout as “just a small thing” that would “be over tomorrow.”
Neither the White House nor Elon Musk has responded publicly to Errol Musk’s comments. Requests for comment went unanswered as of Monday, June 9, 2025.
Trump, who credited Musk with helping to fund his 2024 re-election bid, appointed the Tesla and SpaceX CEO to lead a federal initiative focused on streamlining government operations and reducing the size of the federal workforce.
The recent breakdown in relations follows Trump’s signing of a major fiscal package, which includes expansive tax reforms and new government spending measures.
On Saturday, June 7, 2025, Trump warned of “serious consequences” if Musk provided financial backing to Democratic candidates opposing Republicans who supported the bill.
Musk has not yet responded to the president’s threat.
