President Donald Trump met with Elon Musk at the memorial service for slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk, reuniting one of the most consequential parings in recent political history after their dramatic falling out.
"Elon came over and said hello," Trump told reporters after the Sept. 21 event in Arizona, adding: "I thought it was nice, he came over, we had a little conversation."
Musk posted a photo of himself with Trump at the hourslong memorial on social media and wrote "for Charlie." The White House also posted a photo of the pair on social media with the same message. The former colleagues sat next to each other and shook hands.
The richest man in the world, Musk helped power Trump's victory in 2024, spending nearly $290 million to help the president and Republicans get elected. He become one of Trump's closest advisers during the early days of his second administration, sleeping in the Lincoln Bedroom at the White House as he worked to overhaul federal agencies through the Department of Government Efficiency.
Led by Musk, DOGE instituted mass layoffs and shuttered whole agencies in a dramatic shakeup of the federal government. But Musk clashed with some in the administration and, ultimately, with Trump. He left the administration and the pair had a very public break in June.
