Elon Musk privately reached out to President Donald Trump on Monday night following a week of public clashes that drew widespread attention and concern within political and business circles. According to individuals familiar with the matter, the Tesla and SpaceX CEO made a personal phone call to the president to convey regret for a series of critical posts he had made online.

The public fallout began when Musk posted a barrage of messages targeting Trump, including claims of “ingratitude” regarding the 2024 election, criticism of the president’s key legislative achievements, support for calls to impeach him, and even a provocative reference suggesting Trump was linked to the Jeffrey Epstein investigation files. The posts set off a media firestorm and fueled tensions between two of the most high-profile figures in American life.

In a message posted early Wednesday morning, Musk addressed the situation, writing, “I regret some of my posts about President @realDonaldTrump last week. They went too far.” He did not specify which remarks he was referring to, though the apology appeared to be part of a broader effort to de-escalate tensions.

Sources close to the situation indicated that Vice President JD Vance and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles both spoke with Musk late last week, urging him to put an end to the public feud. These behind-the-scenes efforts appear to have influenced Musk’s decision to reach out directly to the president.

While the White House declined to comment officially on the conversation, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt acknowledged Musk’s statement during a Wednesday briefing, saying, “The president acknowledged the statement that Elon put out this morning and he is appreciative of it. And we are continuing to focus on the business of the American people.”

The president had previously instructed his senior aides to maintain a diplomatic tone when addressing Musk in public, signaling a preference for containing the conflict rather than inflaming it further. Last week, President Trump responded to the back-and-forth by telling reporters that Musk was “a man who has lost his mind,” indicating the depth of frustration at the time.