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US President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk have now been seen together at two major events signalling warmth after a period of tensions.
The photo shared by RFK Jr shows Trump and Elon Musk seated together, signalling a possible easing of tensions after months of public friction. (IMAGE: X/@SecKennedy)
The United States Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F Kennedy Jr shared a Thanksgiving lunch photo this week showing him seated with US President Donald Trump, Tesla founder Elon Musk, Donald Trump’s son Don Jr and US House Speaker Mike Johnson.
The picture, taken at an undisclosed location, shows Musk and Trump sitting next to each other on the same side of the table. The seating arrangement immediately set off speculation that the once-frosty ties between Trump and the world’s richest man may be warming again.
Earlier this month, Trump was also seen tapping Musk’s stomach during an Oval Office event where he invited Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for a state visit, a moment many viewed as a public gesture of reconciliation.
Secretary Kennedy posted the Thanksgiving photo on X with a simple greeting: “Happy Thanksgiving.”
Trump and Musk were once regarded as close allies, but their relationship fractured over two major flashpoints: the release of the so-called Epstein Files and their public disagreement over Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill.” Musk has also accused US ambassador Sergio Gor of trying to create distance between the two earlier this year.
Musk briefly served as chief of Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency, known internally as DOGE, for five months and travelled with the President to Saudi Arabia in May. Their relationship began to sour when Trump claimed Musk opposed the “Big Beautiful Bill” because it sought to phase out electric vehicle tax incentives, which directly benefit Tesla.
The rift deepened after Musk hinted in a June 5 post that Trump had been named in the Epstein Files, a suggestion he later appeared to delete. Since then, the two men have traded indirect shots on social media and in interviews, fuelling talk of a deeper political and personal split.
Signs of a thaw first appeared in September when Trump and Musk shook hands at a memorial for slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The Thanksgiving photo now adds to the perception that both sides may be ready to call time on the feud.
Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a Chief Sub-Editor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over seven years of experience during which he has covered se…Read More
Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a Chief Sub-Editor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over seven years of experience during which he has covered se… Read More
Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)
November 28, 2025, 01:25 IST
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