One of the most surprising -- and enigmatic -- aspects of the first year of Donald Trump’s second term in office has been his relationship with tech billionaire Elon Musk, one characterized by a period of seeming inseparability followed by a nasty online feud.

Now, however, it appears that the Trump-Musk bromance may be back on track, as the New York Post reports, as evidenced by the latter’s attendance this week at a White House dinner and a subsequent message he posted to X.

Friends again?

Despite the animosity that broke out between Trump and Musk earlier this year in the wake of the Tesla mogul’s departure from his role with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), plentiful signs emerged this week that the president is letting bygones be bygones.

Musk was welcomed back into the fold for two days of events centered around a visit from the Saudi crown prince, signaling what might be a real thaw in his relationship with the president, and during a business-centered speech delivered during the crown prince’s time in D.C., Trump mentioned Musk in a positive light on three separate occasions.

In his customarily jocular tone, Trump noted during remarks about tax deductions for domestic vehicle purchases, “You are so lucky I am with you, Elon. Has he ever thanked me properly?”

Trump also appeared to recall fondly his collaboration with Musk during the 2024 election campaign, and when describing his tactics for hitting Democrats on key issues, saying, “We talked about that, right, Elon?”

Sources close to the situation indicated that Vice President JD Vane and Trump chief of staff Susie Wiles have helped ease Musk’s reintegration into the president’s good graces, with one insider stating that “the relationship has really thawed” since the summer blow-up that went viral for all the wrong reasons.

Back in the fold

It was not just during the aforementioned business summit speech that Musk’s renewed presence in Trump world became evident, as he was also on hand for the lavish White House dinner held in honor of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Musk was in good company, with fellow tech CEOs Tim Cook of Apple, Jensen Huang of Nvidia, and Marc Benioff of Salesforce also in attendance.

After the dinner concluded, Musk took to X and offered followers a glimpse of the evening’s events, adding photos of himself, Trump, Huang, and the crown prince.

The post was effusive in its support for the administration and the man who leads it, reading, “I would like to thank President Trump for all he has done for America and the world.”

Apparently, a few months can make all the difference when it comes to the ability of two seasoned players on the world stage to bury the hatchet for the good of the country.

Arms'-length detente?

A source close to the White House did note, however, that Trump’s approach to mending fences with Musk was one born of pragmatism, a trait for which he is well known.

An administration official with knowledge of the situation told the Post that the relationship “will never be the way it used to be, adding that Musk and Trump “are friendly, but not ‘friends.’ The president forgives, but he does not forget.”