- Elon Musk’s favorability among Republicans dropped 16 points following his public feud with Trump.
- Musk apologized for harsh posts, while Trump signaled he’s open to moving on.
- Despite criticism, 80% of Republicans approve of Musk’s work as DOGE chief.
The once fiery exchange between President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk seems to be fading, with both sides showing signs of reconciliation. However, the public clash appears to have taken a toll on Musk’s reputation—especially among Republican voters.
According to a new Quinnipiac University national poll, 62% of Republicans now view Musk favorably, down from 78% in March. Among all voters, only 30% held a favorable view of Musk, while 57% viewed him unfavorably. This suggests that while Musk remains popular in GOP circles, his overall image has been dented by recent controversies.
From Political Ally to White House Insider—and Critic
Musk had been a prominent backer of Trump’s 2024 campaign, becoming the top donor of the election cycle by contributing nearly $300 million through a super PAC. He was also appointed to lead the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), where he served for four months.
Despite this close alliance, tensions exploded shortly after Musk exited the White House. He publicly criticized Trump’s massive spending bill—dubbed the “One Big Beautiful Bill“—calling it a “disgusting abomination” and blaming it for potentially ballooning national debt. Musk also implied Trump wouldn’t have won reelection without his backing.
Musk Apologizes, Trump Plays It Cool
The situation intensified when Musk posted—and later deleted—unfounded claims regarding Trump’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein. On June 12, Musk issued a public apology, saying, “I regret some of my posts about President @realDonaldTrump last week. They went too far.”
Trump addressed the apology during a podcast interview and later told reporters he hadn’t given it much thought. “Things like that happen. I don’t blame him for anything,” he said, signaling no immediate grudge.
GOP Still Approves of Musk’s DOGE Performance
Despite the drama, Musk’s performance at DOGE received high marks from Republican voters. The Quinnipiac poll found that 80% of Republicans thought Musk did an excellent or good job in his role, while only 13% rated his tenure poorly. Among all voters, however, only 38% viewed his work at DOGE positively.
Polling analyst Tim Malloy summarized it best: “Though Musk isn’t as popular with Republicans as he once was, he and DOGE get a hearty high five from a healthy majority of Republicans.”
