Senator Ted Cruz was in the Oval Office with President Donald Trump when Elon Musk’s public attacks on the president erupted—and according to Cruz, the atmosphere turned tense fast.
“It felt like being a kid caught in the middle of a divorce,” Cruz said, describing the moment Musk’s posts began flooding in. “You’ve got two people you care about going at each other in real time.”
The clash began when Musk lashed out at Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill,” calling it “disgusting” and claiming Trump would’ve lost the 2024 election without his support. Musk even went so far as to suggest Trump was linked to Jeffrey Epstein—a post he later deleted but not before it caused major fallout.
Cruz, who maintains friendly relationships with both men, tried to walk a fine line. He noted that Musk has legitimate concerns about fiscal policy and government spending, while Trump has earned political success through his instincts and leadership. Still, Cruz admitted the public nature of the spat was deeply uncomfortable.
“You’ve got two alpha personalities throwing haymakers on social media,” Cruz said. “But at the end of the day, we’re supposed to be on the same team.”
While Musk later backtracked on some of his claims, Trump has made it clear he has no interest in making peace. The president has publicly rebuked Musk and warned of consequences if he continues funding Democrat candidates.
For Cruz, the entire episode underscores the need for unity as Republicans focus on winning the future—not infighting that gives the opposition ammunition.
“I hope they both take a step back,” Cruz said. “We’ve got a country to save.”