Michael Cohen, the former personal attorney to Donald Trump, asked Elon Musk to get in touch amid his public fallout with the president on Thursday.
Newsweek reached out to Musk for comment via Tesla‘s press email.
Why It Matters
Musk, a fierce Trump ally who headed the Department of Government Efficiency until last month, sparred with the president on Thursday after criticizing his “One Big Beautiful Bill.” The Tesla CEO wrote in a series of social media posts that Republicans would not have won in 2024 without his support, and alleged that Trump was named in the Epstein files.
The collapse of the Trump-Musk relationship has potential consequences for technology, business and American politics, as both wield considerable influence over politics and the business community.
Cohen was once a central figure in Trump world, serving as the president’s personal attorney and “fixer.” He had a public falling out with the president after he served a prison sentence for charges of tax evasion, making false statements to a federally insured bank, and campaign finance violations.
Cohen is now a vocal Trump critic who offers insights into how the president operates.
What to Know
Cohen wrote on X, formerly Twitter, on Thursday: “@elonmusk I told you this would happen. If you want to know how to fight political guerrilla warfare, DM me! Otherwise, you lose.”
He linked to a Substack post he published a day earlier in which he wrote that he believes Musk saw the fallout coming, as no one would “call out Trump in public unless you’re looking to start a war; or you’ve already booked a flight to exile.”
Cohen wrote that Trump has “the full weight of the federal government behind him, and that Musk “made the classic mistake of believing he was untouchable.”
“Let me make something crystal clear: no one; not Bannon, not Jared, not Rudy, not me, and definitely not Elon, has ever been more important to Trump than Trump. The ‘bromance’ is never about you. It’s about what he can extract from you. Your loyalty. Your power. Your credibility. Your money. And when it’s over, it’s not just over; it’s scorched earth,” he wrote.
David Dee Delgado/Getty Images
Cohen predicted on MSNBC last weekend that Trump would “ultimately go after Elon’s money next because it bothers him that he is the richest man in the world.”
“Yes, he used him for his money,” he said. “Now he’s going to go and figure out how Elon with his companies took advantage of the United States of America.”
What People Are Saying
President Donald Trump, on Thursday: “Elon and I had a great relationship. I don’t know if we will anymore. I was surprised. You were here. Everybody in this room practically was here as we had a wonderful send-off. He said wonderful things about me. You couldn’t have nicer-said the best things. He’s worn the hat. Trump was right about everything, and I am right about the ‘Great Big Beautiful Bill.'”
Elon Musk, on X: “Without me, Trump would have lost the election, Dems would control the House and the Republicans would be 51-49 in the Senate.”
John Bolton, who previously served as Trump’s national security adviser, told USA Today: “It’s going to end up like most mud fights do, with both of them worse off. The question is how much worse the country is going to be off.”
Steve Bannon, former Trump adviser, told The New York Times: “They should initiate a formal investigation of his [Musk] immigration status because I am of the strong belief that he is an illegal alien, and he should be deported from the country immediately.”
What Happens Next
The fallout between Trump and Musk remains unresolved as of Friday afternoon, though the feud has become quiet since Thursday. Many are speculating about what could happen next, but it’s unclear when they may meet again to try to reconcile.
