Elon Musk appears to have toned down his rhetoric after U.S. President Donald Trump issued a stern statement and threatened to deport the tech billionaire.

In a post on social media platform X on July 1, billionaire Elon Musk said he would refrain from escalating tensions with President Donald Trump.

“I got caught up in escalating this issue. But I will hold back for now,” Musk wrote.

The American tech billionaire also praised President Trump after the White House leader announced he would mediate a 60-day ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

“Credit goes to those who deserve it. Donald Trump has successfully resolved several serious conflicts around the world,” Musk added.

Musk’s statement came after President Trump said on July 1 that his administration would “have to consider” the possibility of deporting the tech billionaire after the Tesla founder continued to criticize the President over a multi-trillion-dollar spending bill.

Musk, a South African-born naturalized U.S. citizen, posted a series of messages on X over the weekend criticizing Republican members for supporting the “big and beautiful” bill, claiming it would increase the national debt.

On Truth Social on the morning of July 1, Trump fired back, accusing Musk of being angry because the bill eliminated the mandatory electric vehicle (EV) production requirement, something that could significantly hurt Tesla.

“Elon may have to shut down and go back to South Africa,” Trump warned.

When reporters directly asked if that meant he was considering deporting Musk, Trump replied, “We’ll have to look into that.”

He added, “Maybe we’ll have DOGE handle Elon,” referring to the Government Operations and Efficiency Board, which Musk previously headed as a special advisor in the administration.

During a visit to Florida the same day, Trump continued his criticism of Musk: “If DOGE investigates Musk, we’ll save a fortune.”

Trump said, “DOGE is a monster that could swallow Elon Musk whole.”

The day before, Musk had declared he would fund primary challengers to unseat any Republican lawmakers who voted for the spending bill, “even if it’s the last thing I do.”

Last month, Musk, who had just left his advisory role at the White House, began publicly criticizing the spending bill and the Republican members who voted for it.

He then continued to attack the President: “If not for me, Trump would have lost the election, Democrats would control the House, and Republicans would only have 51 seats in the Senate.”

During the 2024 election cycle, Musk spent over $270 million supporting Trump and Republican candidates.

Trump later warned he would cancel all government contracts with Musk, emphasizing that the billionaire “would pay the price” if he continued funding Democratic candidates.

Trump reiterated that Musk’s frustration was not about his bill, but about the President’s plan to eliminate the nationwide EV mandate.

“Look, the EV mandate is a tough thing for him. I don’t want everyone to have to drive an electric car,” Trump explained.