Elon Musk’s father, Errol Musk, has revealed a tense moment in their family history when Elon once called him “evil” for supporting Donald Trump.
The heated exchange happened during a birthday party in Cape Town, just before the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Errol spoke about the argument in an interview with Kevin O’Sullivan, which is scheduled to air this Friday on the show *What Just Happened*.
Errol recalled how he voiced his support for Trump in front of about 50 Americans at the event. Elon and his younger brother Kimbal reacted strongly. According to Errol, Elon told him, “Trump is evil, and you’re also evil to support him.
Errol said they both challenged him, asking how he could be so foolish to back someone like Trump. He explained that he believed Trump, being a businessman, would be better suited to lead the country than a career politician. But his defense didn’t go over well—everyone laughed, calling Trump a “con man,” a “thief,” and a “crook.”
Despite the argument, Errol says the relationship with his sons remained intact, and that they’re still close. Over time, he believes Elon and Kimbal’s views shifted, especially after witnessing how the Biden administration handled the country. Errol claimed they realized that the policies in place were threatening the nation’s core values and even affecting their own companies.
Years later, Elon Musk ended up aligning more with Trump politically. He was seen supporting Trump before his surprising victory against Kamala Harris in the most recent election. Elon also accepted a key government role as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which was created under Trump’s leadership.
However, the relationship between Trump and Musk hasn’t been smooth lately. Musk recently resigned from DOGE after publicly criticizing Trump’s major legislation, nicknamed the “Big Beautiful Bill.” Musk told CBS he was disappointed because the bill added more to the federal deficit rather than cutting it. He said it undermined the work that his department had been doing.
When asked about Musk’s comments, Trump acknowledged that he wasn’t entirely satisfied with every part of the bill either. He admitted there would be more negotiations, though he stood by the bill overall, calling it “beautiful” because of the tax cuts and other features it offered—especially tougher immigration measures.
After his resignation, Elon Musk seems to be stepping back from politics altogether. While he once hoped to reform government systems, he now appears to be focusing more on his companies, realizing that fixing Washington isn’t as simple as he thought.
The full interview with Errol Musk, where he discusses the family drama and Elon’s shifting political path, will be broadcast on TALK this Friday.
