Donald Trump and Elon Musk urged by Republicans to end feud

Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s relationship has soured in recent weeks (Alex Brandon/AP)

Republicans fearful about potential consequences of a prolonged feud between US President Donald Trump and Elon Musk are urging the pair to call a truce.

At a minimum, the explosion of animosity between the two powerful men could complicate the path forward for Republicans’ massive tax and border spending legislation that has been promoted by Mr Trump but criticised by Mr Musk.

“I hope it doesn’t distract us from getting the job done that we need to,” said representative Dan Newhouse, a Republican from Washington state. “I think that it will boil over and they’ll mend fences.”

As of Friday afternoon, Mr Musk was holding his fire, posting about his various companies on social media rather than attacking the president. Mr Trump departed the White House for his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, without stopping to talk to reporters who shouted questions about his battle with Mr Musk.

The feud could hinder the progress of a key piece of legislation for the Trump administration (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)

“I hope that both of them come back together because when the two of them are working together, we’ll get a lot more done for America than when they’re at cross purposes,” senator Ted Cruz, a Texas Republican, told Fox News host Sean Hannity.

Senator Mike Lee, a Republican from Utah, sounded almost pained on social media as Mr Trump and Mr Musk volleyed insults at each other, sharing a photo composite of the two men and writing, “But … I really like both of them.”

“Who else really wants @elonmusk and @realDonaldTrump to reconcile?” Mr Lee posted, later adding: “Repost if you agree that the world is a better place with the Trump-Musk bromance fully intact.”

So far, the feud between Mr Trump and Mr Musk is probably best described as a moving target, with plenty of opportunities for escalation or detente.

One person familiar with the president’s thinking said Mr Musk wants to speak with Mr Trump, but that the president does not want to do it – or at least do it on Friday.

In a series of conversations with television news presenters on Friday morning, Mr Trump showed no interest in burying the hatchet. Asked on ABC News about reports of a potential call between him and Mr Musk, the president responded: “You mean the man who has lost his mind?”

Mr Trump added in the ABC interview that he was “not particularly” interested in talking to Mr Musk at the moment.

Still, others remained hopeful that it all would blow over.

“I grew up playing hockey and there wasn’t a single day that we played hockey or basketball or football or baseball, whatever we were playing, where we didn’t fight. And then we’d fight, then we’d become friends again,” Mr Hannity said on his show on Thursday night.

Acknowledging that it “got personal very quick,” Mr Hannity nonetheless added that the rift was “just a major policy difference”.

House of Representatives speaker Mike Johnson projected confidence that the dispute would not affect prospects for the tax and border bill.

House speaker Mike Johnson is confident the tax and border bill will pass (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

“Members are not shaken at all,” the Republican said. “We’re going to pass this legislation on our deadline.”

He added that he hopes Mr Musk and Mr Trump reconcile, saying “I believe in redemption” and “it’s good for the party and the country if all that’s worked out.”

But he also had something of a warning for the billionaire entrepreneur.

“I’ll tell you what, do not doubt and do not second-guess and don’t ever challenge the president of the United States, Donald Trump,” Mr Johnson said. “He is the leader of the party. He’s the most consequential political figure of this generation and probably the modern era.”