Elon Musk’s estranged daughter Vivian Wilson has reacted to the explosive fallout between her father and President Donald Trump.
The 21-year-old posted a video on her Instagram Stories of herself laughing, with the caption “I love being proven right.”
Newsweek reached out to Musk through the Tesla press office via email on Friday, outside of regular working hours.
Why It Matters
The explosive feud between Trump and Musk marks a dramatic shift in their once-close relationship, as the latter has been one of the president’s most prominent allies and donors.
The fissure has unsettled Republican circles and has exposed tensions between Trump loyalists and fiscal conservatives uneasy about the impacts of the president’s tax and spending megabill.
What To Know
Wilson, who is transgender, has been estranged from her father for years and is now a sharp critic of his. Musk previously said that his child was “dead—killed by the woke mind virus.”
Left, Elon Musk is pictured in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., on May 30, 2025. Right, his daughter, Vivian Wilson, is pictured in New York City on May 8, 2025….
Left, Elon Musk is pictured in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., on May 30, 2025. Right, his daughter, Vivian Wilson, is pictured in New York City on May 8, 2025.
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Musk and Trump began publicly feuding after the Tesla CEO ramped up his criticisms of the president’s “Big, Beautiful Bill,” which he described as a “disgusting abomination” and condemned for increasing the budget deficit.
Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that he was “very disappointed” in Musk’s criticisms, and claimed the billionaire knew “every aspect of this bill”—which Musk vigorously denied.
The former allies have enagaged in a war of words, with Musk on Thursday making the bombshell allegation that Trump was in the so-called Epstein files, referring to the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Musk also appeared to co-sign a message calling for Trump’s impeachment, responding “yes” to a post on X, formerly Twitter, that said “President vs Elon. Who wins? My money’s on Elon. Trump should be impeached and JD Vance should replace him.”
Meanwhile, Trump took to Truth Social to declare that he will terminate Musk’s companies’ governmental subsidies and contracts.
What People Are Saying
President Donald Trump on Truth Social on Thursday: “I don’t mind Elon turning against me, but he should have done so months ago. This is one of the Greatest Bills ever presented to Congress. It’s a Record Cut in Expenses, $1.6 Trillion Dollars, and the Biggest Tax Cut ever given.”
Elon Musk on X: “This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination. Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong. You know it.”
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told Newsweek on Thursday that Musk was lashing out because he is “unhappy with the One Big Beautiful Bill because it does not include the policies he wanted.”
What Happens Next
After a day of charged online sparring, Trump and Musk appear to be softening their stances, with Musk responding positively to a post on X from hedge fund manager Bill Ackman that encouraged them to make peace. Trump similarly appeared to brush off the feud in a call with Politico.
Politico reported that White House aides have scheduled a call between Trump and Musk on Friday in an attempt to broker peace.
The “One Big, Beautiful Bill Act” has passed the House and is now before the Senate. Musk’s criticism could embolden fiscally cautious senators to push for changes.