Republicans urge Donald Trump and Elon Musk to end their feud

WASHINGTON -- As the Republican Party braces for aftershocks from President Donald Trump's spectacular clash with Elon Musk, lawmakers and blimpish figures are urging détente, fearful of the imaginable consequences from a prolonged feud.

At a minimum, the detonation of animosity betwixt the 2 almighty men could complicate the way guardant for Republicans' monolithic taxation and borderline spending authorities that has been promoted by Trump but assailed by Musk.

“I anticipation it doesn’t distract america from getting the occupation done that we request to,” said Rep. Dan Newhouse, a Republican from Washington state. "I deliberation that it volition boil implicit and they’ll mend fences”

Sen. Ted Cruz, a Texas Republican, was likewise optimistic.

“I anticipation that some of them travel backmost unneurotic due to the fact that erstwhile the 2 of them are moving together, we’ll get a batch much done for America than erstwhile they’re astatine transverse purposes,” helium told Fox News big Sean Hannity connected Thursday night.

Sen. Mike Lee, a Republican from Utah, sounded astir pained connected societal media arsenic Trump and Musk volleyed insults astatine each other, sharing a photograph composite of the 2 men and writing, "But … I truly similar some of them.”

“Who other truly wants @elonmusk and @realDonaldTrump to reconcile?” Lee posted, aboriginal adding: “Repost if you hold that the satellite is simply a amended spot with the Trump-Musk bromance afloat intact.”

So far, the feud betwixt Trump and Musk is astir apt champion described arsenic a moving target, with plentifulness of opportunities for escalation oregon detente.

One idiosyncratic acquainted with the president’s reasoning said Musk wants to talk with Trump, but that the president doesn’t privation to bash it – oregon astatine slightest bash it connected Friday. The idiosyncratic requested anonymity to disclose backstage matters.

In a bid of conversations with tv anchors Friday morning, Trump showed nary involvement successful burying the hatchet. Asked connected ABC News astir reports of a imaginable telephone betwixt him and Musk, the president responded: “You mean the antheral who has mislaid his mind?”

Trump added successful the ABC interrogation that helium was “not particularly” funny successful talking to Musk astatine the moment.

Still, others remained hopeful that it each would stroke over.

“I grew up playing hockey and determination wasn’t a azygous time that we played hockey oregon hoops oregon shot oregon baseball, immoderate we were playing, wherever we didn’t fight. And past we’d fight, past we’d go friends again,” Hannity said connected his amusement Thursday night.

Acknowledging that it “got idiosyncratic precise quick,” Hannity nevertheless added that the rift was “just a large argumentation difference.”

House Speaker Mike Johnson projected assurance that the quality would not impact prospects for the taxation and borderline bill.

“Members are not shaken astatine all,” the Louisiana Republican said. “We’re going to walk this authorities connected our deadline.”

He added that helium hopes Musk and Trump reconcile, saying “I judge successful redemption” and “it's bully for the enactment and the state if each that's worked out.”

But helium besides had thing of a informing for the billionaire entrepreneur.

“I’ll archer you what, bash not uncertainty and bash not second-guess and don’t ever situation the president of the United States, Donald Trump,” Johnson said. "He is the person of the party. He’s the astir consequential governmental fig of this procreation and astir apt the modern era.”

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Associated Press writers Leah Askarinam and Kevin Freking contributed to this report.