After a public rift earlier this year, President Trump has suggested Elon Musk may rejoin the Republican Party rather than form a third-party initiative. Speaking with Scott Jennings, Trump asserted, “I don’t think he has a choice. What’s he gonna do? He’s gonna go with the radical left lunatics? They’re lunatics.”

Trump described Musk as “80% super genius, and then 20% he’s got some problems,” while emphasizing his longstanding personal approval. “He’s a man of common sense. He’s a good man. He got off the reservation incorrectly, and that’s okay because, you know, it’s just one of those things. But he’s a good person.”

The president also noted Musk’s potential for growth, stating, “When he works out the 20%, he’ll be great.” Trump reiterated his affection for Musk, declaring, “I liked him, I always liked him, I like him now.”

Despite this, Musk was excluded from an upcoming White House dinner featuring tech executives, including Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, Apple CEO Tim Cook, and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg. The event, hosted in the renovated Rose Garden, did not include Musk, who previously led Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

The gathering aims to unite “top business, political, and tech leaders,” according to White House officials, with Trump highlighting the space as a new hub for high-profile gatherings.