Axios' White House veteran Marc Caputo made a startling confession to Intelligencer editor Benjamin Hart — that President Donald Trump in genuinely hurting over his breakup with Elon Musk.
“I know this sounds crazy,” Caputo told Hart in an interview. “But one very well-placed source told me that Trump’s feelings were genuinely hurt. This isn’t just Trump playing the victim for show.”
Hart, visibly surprised, pressed: “He has feelings?”
“Yes,” Caputo affirmed. “A lot of folks think Trump is just a showman who doesn’t care about anyone, but in reality, his response to Musk’s recent comments about his budget bill was unusually muted — more so than anyone else’s. That’s a sign. Trump was genuinely affected.”
The White House insider added that the Trump-Musk dynamic is less about policy and more about personal grudges, describing the entire saga as a twisted soap opera he named “Trump World Turns,” with characters coming and going, and “feuds that heal as quickly as a wrestling storyline.”
But while Trump’s wounds may be real, Caputo warns Musk is holding a grudge that could last longer than a season finale. Musk’s history of fiery breakups — be it with former partners or business allies — suggests he’s not one to forgive and forget easily.
Sources say Musk’s past falling out with Biden was sparked by a snub at an electric vehicle summit, and his current irritation with Trump stems from the removal of EV credits from the latest budget bill — despite Musk’s own opposition to those credits last year. Caputo notes that behind the scenes, Musk was lobbying hard for those credits, even as he pretended disinterest.
If reconciliation is to happen, Caputo predicts Elon will have to make the first move — a call of apology, perhaps. “Musk was far more aggressive and insulting than Trump in their exchanges,” Caputo said. “So, I’d guess Trump feels more hurt and aggrieved. Elon might need to swallow his pride first.”
Hart agrees that Trump holds the upper hand, warning, “Trump has a lot more leverage. He can really mess with Musk’s companies if he wanted to.”
Caputo adds ominously: “If Trump decides to go full dictator, Elon Musk is in serious trouble.”
