President Donald Trump offered an olive branch to Elon Musk earlier this month, using a wedding toast to praise the billionaire entrepreneur in a room full of high-profile guests. Trump delivered a delightful speech at Dan Scavino’s Mar-a-Lago wedding that blended nostalgia, inside jokes and pointed compliments directed at Musk.
“Even by Elon,” Trump quipped at one point while referencing Senator Marco Rubio, who was seated beside Musk. “You know, Elon has a high standard.” The remark drew laughter and applause from Musk.
In a video shared by the groom, Trump reflected on his early political days with Scavino and the role social media played in his rise.
“Remember that Dan? I called you and said, ‘What do you think? You know anything about politics? No. When can you start?’” Trump joked. “We both knew nothing, but we were fast learners.”
— Dan Scavino Jr.🇺🇸🦅 (@DanScavino) February 23, 2026
He then pivoted to the platform formerly known as Twitter. “And that was called Twitter — and now it’s called X. Where’s X? Is there a man?” Trump said. Guests laughed as they realized he was talking about Musk, who bought Twitter in 2022 and rebranded it as X.
“There’s a man over here that has a boy named X,” Trump continued, referencing one of Musk children, X Æ A-12. “I like X better than anything else.” Turning directly toward Musk, Trump added, “You really have opened up things with what you’ve done. I think most of this room appreciates that.”
The praise marked a notable shift between the two men, whose relationship has jostled between public admiration and sharp criticism over the years. Musk served briefly on White House advisory councils in 2017 before resigning over Trump’s decision to withdraw from the Paris climate accord. Through the years, he has suggested Trump should step aside politically, while later reinstating Trump’s account on X after it had been permanently suspended in the wake of the January 6 Capitol riot.
BREAKING 🚨Elon Musk just stunned Dan Scavino by showing up to his WEDDING at Mar-a-Lago ❤️
WE ARE SO BACK
— MAGA Voice (@MAGAVoice) February 1, 2026
Trump, for his part, has alternated between praising Musk as a “genius” entrepreneur and publicly attacking him over electric vehicle mandates and government subsidies. The wedding toast seems to indicate that they have made peace, with Trump openly crediting Musk’s stewardship of X for expanding speech on the platform.
Scavino, one of Trump’s closest aides since 2015 who plays a role in his social media messaging strategy is part of the former president’s inner circle. The wedding guests included political figures, donors and Trump loyalists. While the president took center stage at the reception, Melania Trump was absent. But, no official explanation was provided.
Though delivered in a celebratory setting, Trump’s comments about Musk were no accident. By publicly praising Musk’s handling of X, and highlighting Rubio’s performance with Musk’s visible approval, Trump shows how influential figures in tech approve of his key Republican lawmakers.
“Elon has a high standard,” Trump repeated, smiling as Rubio and Musk exchanged a handshake. Whether the goodwill will endure remains to be seen. But for one night at Mar-a-Lago, Trump and Musk appeared to be in sync. And in Trump’s world, a wedding toast can sometimes double as a political signal.
