House Speaker Mike Johnson says Elon Musk cut off contact by changing his phone number after a public clash with President Donald Trump. In an interview with the New York Post’s podcast “Pod Force One,” Johnson said he reached out to Musk via text following the feud but later found out through third parties that the number he was texting was no longer in service.
“I’m trying to be a peacemaker in all of it,” Johnson said. “I’ve reached out to Elon multiple times. Yes, I wanted him and the president to mend it up. And frankly, I think the president was of that mind as well.”
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“I sent him a long text message, but his phone number changed,” Johnson said. “After the blow-up, something happened with his phone number.”
“So I got the number later, realized I was sending it out in the ether somewhere — he never read it. So I look forward to meeting with him in person. We’ve gotta make it right.”
Tensions over spending bill
Musk split from the Trump administration in early May following his work with the Department of Government Efficiency, an advisory body that Trump created through an executive order. After his departure, Musk publicly criticized what the president called his “big beautiful bill,” launching a war of words between the once-close allies.
Musk’s opposition focused on the bill’s level of spending and a provision that raised the government’s debt ceiling.
Johnson: Change will take time
Johnson said he and Musk still share similar fiscal goals, particularly on addressing the national debt.
“This is a long-term play,” Johnson said. “We can’t fix this stuff overnight, but we have a plan to do it. And I think that’s going to be pleasing to everybody who’s worried about our deficit and our debt.”
Johnson added that the House is already working on rescission packages aimed at scaling back previous government spending.
Hope for a makeup
Johnson told the Post there were likely “multiple factors” behind the rift between Trump and Musk. But he said he remains hopeful the two can mend their relationship.
While Johnson hinted at a potential in-person meeting with Musk, it’s unclear if or when that will happen.
