In the wake of Elon Musk’s explosive rift with Donald Trump, one of Musk’s former close friends is sounding the alarm: don’t expect Musk to forgive, forget, or move on.
Philip Low, a neuroscientist and Silicon Valley entrepreneur who was once deeply connected to Musk, told Politico in a rare interview that he believes Musk is likely to retaliate against the president after their recent public clash. Low, who worked with Stephen Hawking and founded the neurotech company NeuroVigil, spent more than a decade in Musk’s inner circle before their relationship collapsed.
“Knowing Elon the way I do, I think he’s going to do everything to damage the president,” said Low. “He’s obsessed with dominance, and he holds grudges.”
Their friendship ended for good earlier this year, when Low joined critics accusing Musk of making Nazi-style salutes during Trump’s inauguration celebrations. Musk dismissed the accusations online, but Low — whose family includes Holocaust survivors — was furious. He privately messaged Musk, and when there was no response, he publicly posted a scathing 2,000-word letter branding Musk a narcissist with a thirst for power.
That final break came amid a wider political implosion: Musk and Trump, once allies, turned on each other over a massive federal spending bill. Trump threatened Musk’s lucrative government contracts. Musk fired back on X (formerly Twitter), criticizing the president’s policies, implying Trump had links to the Jeffrey Epstein scandal (without evidence), and even flirting with the idea of backing a third-party candidate.
Though both men have since tried to downplay the fight — with Trump wishing Musk “well” and Musk issuing a partial apology — Low says any public reconciliation is “purely cosmetic.” The real damage, he insists, is done.
“Elon has been humiliated,” Low said. “He may play nice on the surface, but he won’t forget this. And he won’t let it go.”
Low, now 45, met Musk in 2011 at a gathering in Paris. Their friendship deepened over the years with regular meetups, messages, and mutual support. Musk even invested in Low’s startup and joined its advisory board. But tensions eventually crept in, especially as Musk launched competing brain-tech firm Neuralink. In 2021, Low says he fired Musk from his advisory board to block him from exercising stock options that could harm NeuroVigil.
His parting email to Musk? “Good luck with your implants, all of them, and with building Pottersville on Mars. Seriously, don’t f— with me.”
Now, as Musk finds himself estranged from Trump and under political pressure, Low believes Musk may lash out politically — perhaps even by quietly funding opposition campaigns.
“It’s not a question of if, it’s a question of when,” Low warned.
Musk, who donated $288 million in the 2024 election cycle, was once MAGA’s biggest tech ally. His PAC — America PAC — pushed right-wing judicial appointments and backed Trump’s agenda. But following the feud, he’s scaled back his political ambitions, and Low suspects that’s more strategy than retreat.
“He’s playing defense,” Low said, referencing Musk’s recent social media post showing clean drug test results to counter reports about alleged ketamine use. “He’s trying to build a moat — to shield himself in case the government moves against him.”
Low, who still follows Musk’s posts, says the tech CEO’s behavior hasn’t changed over the years — he’s just showing more of his true nature now. “He always had these traits. Now they’re just more public.”
For Trump, Low has this advice: don’t underestimate Musk’s ability to influence voters or shift public narratives — and don’t assume his silence means surrender.
“Elon has enough fans within Trump’s base to be a serious political threat,” Low said. “If Trump wants to cut Musk’s influence, he might be wise to adopt some of the policies Musk supports — like expanding immigration for high-skilled workers.”
Low, a Canadian-American who strongly opposes Trump’s immigration crackdown, argues that restricting foreign talent will weaken the U.S. in areas like AI — and alienate tech leaders like Musk who once supported the administration’s goals.
“Elon’s been groomed by Silicon Valley, but he speaks the same language as a lot of voters,” Low concluded. “Trump doesn’t realize the battle he has on his hands.”
