Department of Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said that President Trump won’t forget tech billionaire Elon Musk’s “negativity” during his departure from government.
He said Musk was Trump’s “best friend in the administration” during an interview with NewsNation‘s “Batya” and added that Trump would “forgive” but not forget the tempestuous nature of Musk’s exit.
“I think Elon Musk had that, he really earned the President’s friendship, admiration, and then in his departure, he expressed a part of himself that was very negative,” Lutnick said in the interview with host Batya Ungar-Sargon. “And I don’t think the president is going to forget that negativity.”
Musk and Trump formed an alliance during Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign, with Musk spending over $290 million to support Trump and other Republicans running for office, according to Federal Election Commission filings.
Their relationship led to Musk heading the controversial Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which aims to reduce waste, fraud and abuse at federal government agencies.
But tensions between Musk and other Cabinet members due to his role at DOGE eventually cast a chill on Trump and Musk’s relationship. In May, Musk stepped down from his role at DOGE and within days he came out against Trump’s tax and spending bill, calling it a “massive abomination” on X.
The two men’s relationship publicly soured, with Musk going on to allege that Trump’s name appeared in the Epstein files.
Lutnick said that Trump would be “friendly” to Musk moving forward.
“[Trump] will be friendly and he will be nice, because the president is incredibly nice,” he continued. “But do I think he’s going to forget? I don’t.”
Lutnick served as CEO of Wall Street investment firm Cantor Fitzgerald before stepping down to assume the position of Commerce Secretary.
He said during the interview that he knew Trump, a fellow billionaire from New York, for over 50 years and that he “wrestled” with the president’s friendship with Musk.
The full intervied airs at 4 p.m. Saturday on “Batya” on NewsNation.
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