President Donald Trump said in a Truth Social post on 24 July that he has no intention of “destroying” Elon Musk’s businesses by cutting federal aid, declaring instead that he wants the billionaire’s companies—and all U.S. firms—“to thrive like never before.” “The better they do, the better the USA does, and that’s good for all of us,” he wrote. Trump’s assurance follows weeks of friction with Musk that included public threats to scale back subsidies and federal contracts. Earlier this week, Reuters reported the administration was reviewing alternatives to SpaceX to build the Golden Dome missile-defence system, and the White House press secretary said the president opposed further government work for Musk’s artificial-intelligence start-up xAI. The two men were political allies until June, when Musk resigned as head of the Department of Government Efficiency and began criticising Trump’s spending plans and alleged ties to Jeffrey Epstein. Trump’s latest message signals a softer public stance even as the administration continues to scrutinise Musk’s government business. Investors remained cautious: Tesla shares fell 8.6% to $304.48 in morning trading on Thursday after the company reported weaker revenue and cited expiring tax incentives and higher tariffs—both Trump policies—as headwinds. The stock is down 18% this year.