In a virtual address to a private gathering of former federal appointees in Texas last month, Elon Musk outlined what he called a “great 12-year span” — beginning with Donald Trump’s ongoing second term and continuing through two projected terms of Vice President JD Vance — during a reunion of his former federal cost-cutting team.
Details of the speech Musk delivered at the event were first reported by Politico. The closed-door reunion took place on November 22 inside a Musk-owned building near his Boring Company and SpaceX operations in Bastrop, Texas. Around 150 current and former members of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), along with family members, attended the gathering. Musk appeared virtually rather than in person, explaining he chose not to travel due to concerns over his safety.
Speaking from what was described as a dark, undisclosed location, he told the audience he sees himself as one of the top three assassination targets in the country, ranking only behind Trump and Vance. That claim echoed fears Musk has voiced before, including during a Tesla shareholder call where he half-joked that improving his fitness might reduce his risk of being killed.
Despite previous tensions with Trump — including Musk’s support for impeachment and his attacks on the administration’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” — recent developments suggest a repaired relationship. Musk and Trump shared a handshake at the September tribute event for late Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, in what was widely seen as a public reconciliation after a months-long feud.
The Politico report said Musk has “taken a step back from politics,” while also noting he has developed a “strong personal relationship” with the vice president.
Musk’s outlook aligns with recent comments from Trump himself. During a White House cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Trump remarked that two members of his administration could form the 2028 Republican presidential ticket, glancing at Vice President JD Vance as he noted, “Could be a couple of people sitting at this table.” He added that he wanted their work “to be carried forward.” The comments followed his October 27 statement to reporters, made during a flight from Malaysia to Japan, in which he deemed a Vance-Rubio “unstoppable.”
Musk’s reengagement with Republican politics comes after an attempt to chart his own course earlier this year. His short-lived effort to launch a third political party — the “America Party” — drew criticism from Trump, who dismissed it as “ridiculous” and warned it would only sow “disruption and chaos.” Former RNC Chairman Michael Whatley expressed indifference at the time, telling Breitbart News he would only be concerned if Musk moved to split the vote in a general election.
By summer’s end, signs of a thaw in tensions began to emerge. In July, Vice President JD Vance acknowledged he suspected Elon Musk “very much wants” to rejoin President Trump’s team, while also noting it would ultimately be Musk’s loss if he chose not to. Around the same time, Musk posted an apology on X for “some” of his recent remarks about the president and reportedly called Trump personally to express regret.