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US President Donald Trump is not interested in talking with Elon Musk, news agency Reuters reported citing a White House official, signaling the president and his former ally might not resolve their feud over a sweeping tax-cut bill any time soon. The White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told the news agency that no phone call between Trump and the Tesla CEO is planned for the day.

Earlier, a different White House official had said the two were going to talk. In interviews with several US media outlets, Trump said he was focused on other matters. "I'm not even thinking about Elon. He's got a problem, the poor guy's got a problem," he told CNN.

Trump tesla

(Trump next to Musk, with a Tesla car in the background, at the White House, March 11, 2025. CREDIT: REUTERS)

Trump may sell his Tesla Model S car

Trump may get rid of the red Tesla Model S that he bought in March after showcasing Musk's electric cars on the White House lawn, the official said. The White House statements came one day after the two men battled openly in an extraordinary display of hostilities that marked a stark end to a close alliance.

During the exchange, Trump suggested he would terminate government contracts with Musk's businesses, which include rocket company SpaceX and its satellite unit Starlink. Tesla shares rose on Friday, managing to claw back some steep losses from the previous session when it dropped 14 per cent and lost $150 billion in value, the largest single-day decline in the company's history. 

Musk's high-profile allies have largely stayed silent during the feud. But one, investor James Fishback, called on Musk to apologise. "President Trump has shown grace and patience at a time when Elon's behaviour is disappointing and frankly downright disturbing," Fishback said in a statement.

Trump vs Musk brutal feud

Musk, the world's richest man, bankrolled a large part of Trump's 2024 presidential campaign. Trump named Musk to head up a controversial effort to downsize the federal workforce and slash spending. The falling-out began brewing Tuesday. Musk, who left his role as head of the Department of Government Efficiency a week ago, denounced Trump's tax cut and spending bill, which contains most of Trump's domestic priorities. His opposition is complicating efforts to pass the bill in Congress where Republicans hold a slim majority.

Musk denounced the package as a "disgusting abomination" that would add too much to the nation's $36.2 trillion in debt. Just last week, Trump feted him at the White House after he left his post at DOGE. Musk cut only about half of 1 per cent of total spending, far short of his brash plans to cut $2 trillion from the federal budget. Trump's "big, beautiful bill" narrowly passed the House of Representatives last month and is now before the Senate, where Republicans say they will make further changes. Nonpartisan analysts say the measure would add $2.4 trillion in debt over 10 years.

(With inputs from Reuters)