A former associate of Elon Musk has suggested that the billionaire entrepreneur may be quietly working against President Donald Trump, despite public attempts by both sides to downplay recent tensions, FOX News reports.
In an interview with Politico published Monday, Philip Low — a neuroscientist and founder of NeuroVigil who once worked closely with Musk — claimed that the Tesla and SpaceX CEO would “do everything to damage the president,” referring to Trump. Low cited personal disagreements with Musk in the past, suggesting his former associate is deeply dissatisfied with Trump’s policy direction.
Musk has been vocal in his criticism of a major piece of Republican legislation, often referred to as Trump’s “big, beautiful bill.” In a June 3 post on X (formerly Twitter), Musk called the bill a “disgusting abomination” and warned it could result in significant job losses and “immense strategic harm” to the US economy. He reiterated those concerns over the weekend, drawing attention from both supporters and critics of the legislation.
Despite these public criticisms, both Musk and Trump have signaled that tensions have eased following a contentious online exchange earlier this month. Musk issued a public apology, and Trump, speaking on Sunday, described Musk as a “wonderful guy,” emphasizing that there were “no hard feelings.”
Still, Low suggested Musk’s recent conciliatory tone could be strategic rather than sincere.
“He has been humiliated,” Low told Politico, “and deep down, it’s over.”
The backdrop to the remarks is the ongoing debate in Washington over the GOP-led legislative package, which Senate Republicans advanced over the weekend in a 51–49 procedural vote. Only two Republican senators — Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Rand Paul (R-KY) — opposed moving the bill forward. The proposal, which spans over 900 pages, faces continued resistance from Democrats and some outside figures, including Musk.
The Congressional Budget Office has projected that the legislation could add trillions to the national debt, which has already surpassed $36 trillion. Senate Democrats, led by Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, have sought to delay progress on the bill by invoking procedural tactics such as reading the entire text aloud on the Senate floor.
Low also urged Trump to take some of Musk’s policy positions more seriously, arguing that the entrepreneur has cultivated a strong base among Trump’s supporters and could influence political dynamics if disagreements escalate further.
“Elon has wooed enough of Trump’s supporters to be an actual threat politically,” Low said. “One way to cut the support away from Elon is to actually adopt some of the things he is for.”
White House spokesperson Harrison Fields dismissed the Politico report, calling it “another palace intrigue non-story” and said President Trump remained focused on broader national priorities, including border security, economic growth, and foreign policy.
A representative for SpaceX did not respond to a request for comment.
