As Donald Trump continues to exchange barbs with former ally Elon Musk, the Tesla CEO’s ex-friend has cautioned that the billionaire can do “everything to damage” the US President.
Speaking at an hour-long interview with Politico, award-winning neuroscientist Philip Low revealed that he experienced a vindictive side of Elon Musk after removing him as an advisor on his company’s board before he quit himself.
“I’ve had my share of blowouts with Elon over the years,” he told the news outlet.
Low, who partnered with Stephen Hawking as a test subject, had a warning for the US President.
“Knowing Elon the way I know him, I do think he’s going to do everything to damage the President.”
‘Deep down, it’s over’
Low, who founded neurotechnology firm NeuroVigil, has known Musk for 11 years. Recounting his own experience with the Tesla CEO, he said that any reconciliation between Trump and Musk will be “purely cosmetic” and “transactional”.
“He has been humiliated,” Low said, speaking about his old friend.
He said Musk may do everything to help woo Congress and invest in right-wing election campaigns, but for him “it’s over”
“The whole idea that Elon is going to be on his side and help woo Congress and invest in election campaigns for right-wing judges — Elon might do all of that, but deep down, it’s over.”
“Elon has wooed enough of Trump’s supporters to be an actual threat politically,” Low said, advising Trump to moderate his agenda if he wants to avoid a battle.
Sounding another warning for the President, the 45-year-old said that Trump can avoid a war by actually supporting Elon Musk in some ways.
“He (Donald Trump) doesn’t realise the battle that he has on his hands, and one way to cut the support away from Elon is to actually adopt some of the things he is for.”
Elon Musk’s pattern
Talking further about the Tesla CEO, Low noted that he has a “pattern” to destabilise companies.
“Elon has his own pattern of trying to destabilise companies. He wants to take over, and if he can’t take them over, then he tries to create a rival entity to compete,” he said.
“They were absolutely on a collision course, and I think that Trump tried to gloss over it by making it look as if he wanted Elon to be as aggressive as he was,” the neuroscientist added.
Low mentioned that while many people close to Musk think he has changed, he did not believe it to be true.
“A lot of people close to him will say that he changed. I don’t believe that to be true,” he said.
Elon Musk and Donald Trump’s verbal war started last month when the billionaire criticised the President’s “Big Beautiful Bill”, which spiralled quickly and led to a dramatic ‘breakup’ between the once-allies.
The spat reached its peak twice when Musk accused Trump of being connected to Jeffery Epstein last month in a now deleted X post, and when the President later threatening to deport the billionaire to South Africa.
