- By Ajeet Kumar
- Fri, 11 Apr 2025 03:18 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
In a 'shocking' statement, US President Donald Trump on Thursday said he doesn't care about Tesla CEO Elon Musk and added he doesn't need him for anything. The statement came following a cabinet meeting when reporters asked the US President about Musk. "I don't care. I don't need Elon for anything other than I happen to like him," said the US President.
However, Trump then quickly added Musk had done a fantastic job (the billionaire chuckled nervously). In the video which is now viral on social media, Trump said he doesn't even need his Tesla anymore — despite paying a lot of money for it. "You know what I do with it? I let the people in the office drive around in it," said Trump.
Love’s over? Trump says he doesn’t need Musk at all
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) April 11, 2025
“Look, he's sitting here, and I don't care. I don't need Elon for anything other than I happen to like him,” said the U.S. President — then quickly added Musk had done a fantastic job (the billionaire chuckled nervously).… pic.twitter.com/FScBlv0J47
READ: Are Trump And Musk At Odds? US President Rejects Tesla CEO's Plea To Reverse New Tariffs
Recently, multiple reports claimed that Trump and the billionaire were at odds. Amid a bloodbath in the US market, Musk made direct yet unsuccessful appeals to Trump to reverse tariffs, news agency Reuters reported citing its sources. This exchange marks the highest-profile disagreement between the President and Musk, the report said. It follows Trump's unveiling of a 10 per cent baseline tariff on all imports to the US along with higher duties on dozens of other countries.
However, days after the report, Trump paused the tariff for 90 days, except for China.
Elon Musk facing a wrath of Trump's tariff war
Musk, a Trump adviser who has been working to eliminate wasteful US public spending, called for zero tariffs between the US and Europe during a virtual interaction at a congress in Florence of Italy's right-wing, co-ruling League Party over the weekend. Tesla has seen its quarterly sales drop sharply amid a backlash against Musk's work with a new "Department of Government Efficiency."
The company's shares are trading at $233.29 as of its last close on Monday, down over 42 per cent since the beginning of the year. Musk has previously said that the impact of Trump's auto tariffs on Tesla is "significant." Economists say the tariffs could reignite inflation, raise the risk of a US recession and boost costs for the average US family by thousands of dollars - a potential liability for a president who campaigned on a promise to bring down the cost of living.