Elon Musk’s father plays down Trump spat in interview with Russian newspaper

Errol Musk says Elon ‘made a mistake’

Musk, the world's richest man, bankrolled a large part of Trump's 2024 presidential campaign (AP)

The row between Elon Musk, the world's richest man, and U.S. President Donald Trump was triggered by stress on both sides and Elon made a mistake by publicly challenging Trump, Musk's father told Russian media in Moscow.

Musk and Trump began exchanging insults last week on social media with Musk denouncing the president's sweeping tax and spending bill as a "disgusting abomination."

"You know they have been under a lot of stress for five months - you know - give them a break," Errol Musk told the Izvestia newspaper during a visit to the Russian capital. "They are very tired and stressed so you can expect something like this."

"Trump will prevail - he's the president, he was elected as the president. So, you know, Elon made a mistake, I think. But he is tired, he is stressed."

Errol Musk also suggested that the row "was just a small thing" and would "be over tomorrow."

Neither the White House nor Musk could be reached for comment outside normal U.S. business hours.

Errol Musk, the father of tech billionaire Elon Musk who spent his early life in apartheid-era South Africa, poses for a portrait at his house Langebaan, South Africa on May 2022 (AFP via Getty Images)

Trump said on Saturday his relationship with billionaire donor Musk was over and warned there would be "serious consequences" if Musk decided to fund U.S. Democrats running against Republicans who vote for the tax and spending bill.

During an appearance on Fox News on Sunday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt pushed back on reporting that there was a physical altercation between Elon Musk and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

Former White House strategist Steve Bannon, who worked in Trump’s first term, told The Washington Post that he was informed that as Bessent and Musk exited the Oval Office following an April meeting, the pair began insulting each other.

“Did Musk actually get physical? Was there a fistfight that he body checked the treasury secretary?” host Maria Bartiromo asked on Sunday.

“I certainly wouldn't describe it as a fistfight, Maria. It was definitely a disagreement… we’ve moved on from it,” said Leavitt.

Musk, the world's richest man, bankrolled a large part of Trump's 2024 presidential campaign. Trump named Musk to head a controversial effort to downsize the federal workforce and slash spending.