At the Washington Peace Institute—recently christened after Trump—the former president presented Elon Musk a wooden case containing the National Medal of Science. Trump’s gesture was a stark contrast to the acrimonious fallout that erupted when Musk opposed a controversial tax bill in the Department of Government Efficiency.
The ceremony followed a brief stint in 2023 when Musk clashed with the federal agency over what he called an "utterly insane" spending proposal. He had spent months in a small White House office, appearing in cabinet meetings and bringing his son X into the Oval Office.
Trump called Musk a "national treasure" and likened him to Thomas Edison, calling the rocket tycoon a "modern‑day Edison". Musk, meanwhile, accepted the medal with a quiet nod, avoiding eye contact with the president.
Musk’s 32‑year‑old son X stood beside him, a personal touch to the event that also honored Google co‑founder Sergey Brin, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and AMD chief Lisa Su. The ceremony underscores Trump’s intent to align with tech leaders as he pushes for AI self‑regulation, signaling a new chapter for U.S. space policy.