One of President Donald Trump’s closest allies, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, addressed questions Sunday about whether Trump might reconcile with billionaire Elon Musk.
“He’s a very kind person, so he’s going to forgive Elon. Will he forget? No, he doesn’t forget,” Lutnick said during an interview with News Nation. His remarks followed speculation about Trump and Musk’s brief interaction at far-right activist Charlie Kirk’s memorial.
Lutnick was also asked about Musk’s more favorable stance on the H-1B visa program, which is widely used by Indian tech professionals. The Trump administration has recently moved to restrict the program, introducing a $100,000 fee along with tighter rules.
Defending the policy shift, Lutnick said:
“I think we should only give highly skilled jobs to the most highly skilled people… The idea of having tech consultants and trainees who are inexpensive should be eliminated. I have a strong opinion. I think the President is right with me on those same topics.”
Turning back to Trump and Musk’s personal dynamic, Lutnick described the President as loyal but cautious with friendships:
“I think Donald Trump is a really kind person. The media just don’t see him, but I’ve been friends with President Trump for over 30 years… So he’s going to be kind and warm, as he is as a person. But do I think it’s going to go back to being lovey-dovey? No. I think Elon Musk had really earned the president’s friendship and admiration.”
He continued,
“Then in his departure, he expressed a part of himself that was very negative, and I don’t think the President’s going to forget that negativity.”
Trump and Musk had not been publicly seen together since their falling out until the memorial service in Arizona. Once considered Trump’s “First Buddy,” Musk distanced himself over disagreements tied to the administration’s financial plans, including Trump’s so-called “Big Beautiful Bill.”
Yet, during the official broadcast of Kirk’s memorial, cameras captured Trump and Musk seated together and speaking, suggesting a potential thaw in their relationship.
The encounter came just as Trump tightened restrictions on H-1B visas — a program Musk has consistently supported, given the large number of his employees who rely on it. For now, Musk has remained silent on Trump’s latest decision.
