WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump announced Monday that the Starlink satellite internet service will remain operational at the White House, even as tensions grow between him and tech entrepreneur Elon Musk. Trump hinted he may relocate his personal Tesla vehicle, but praised Starlink as a “good service.”
Speaking to reporters, Trump remarked, “I may move the Tesla around a little bit, but I don’t think we’ll be doing that with Starlink. It’s a good service,” referring to the SpaceX-operated satellite internet provider owned by Musk.
The statement follows a weekend of strained relations between the two, with Trump declaring on Saturday that his “relationship with Musk was over.” The fallout stems from Musk’s harsh criticism of Trump’s recent tax and spending legislation, which Musk labeled “a disgusting abomination.”
A White House official had earlier suggested Trump might remove his red Tesla Model S, which he purchased from Musk in March during friendlier times. The vehicle remained at the White House over the weekend.
Despite their public fallout, Trump signaled a possible opening for dialogue, saying he “would not mind if Musk reached out.” This marks a more conciliatory tone following his earlier vow to avoid reconciling with the billionaire CEO.
“We had a good relationship, and I just wish him well,” Trump added. Musk appeared to respond subtly on his social media platform X (formerly Twitter) by reacting with a heart emoji to a clip of Trump’s latest comments.
Their feud began last Thursday with a series of sharp exchanges. Musk’s opposition to Trump’s legislative agenda has complicated efforts to pass key spending measures, especially with narrow Republican margins in Congress.
Insiders close to Musk suggest the situation may cool off soon. Some believe Musk may be open to repairing the relationship, as he has since deleted several critical social media posts, including one calling for Trump’s impeachment.
