The cracks in the MAGA alliance are beginning to show, and Fox News isn’t quite sure how to patch them. The conservative outlet appeared to be in damage control on Thursday as the rift between Donald Trump and Elon Musk continued to deepen.
Many of the network’s prominent commentators tried to cope with the situation, downplaying the public clash, describing it as a predictable outcome of a relationship between two powerful individuals and urging the two men to reconcile.
“Sometimes, guys fight,” said Jesse Watters. “Guys sometimes will punch you in the face, and the next night you’re having a beer. Sleep with your girlfriend, and you patch things up.”
“These guys are like roommates,” he added. “They’re just blowing off steam.”
Greg Gutfeld also reached for metaphors when he urged the two billionaires to “knock it off.”
“It’s like, I don’t want to see my parents fighting,” Gutfeld said. “I like Batman and Robin. I don’t like Spy vs. Spy.”
He also praised Trump and Musk for airing out their grievances transparently for everyone to see.
Sean Hannity sought to strike a similarly conciliatory tone, saying that just last week the two men were “best friends,” and that the dispute ultimately came down to a disagreement over a piece of legislation.
“You have the president of the Free World; the richest guy on earth, one of the strongest guys on earth,” Hannity added. “Conflicts? They’re kind of predictable … they disagree on policy.”
Hannity predicted that Musk and Trump would work it out
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Other Fox figures didn’t shy away from the implications of the very public breakdown.
“This is not a story that anyone was looking for,” Will Cain said. “Hard to see a path forward for these two to repair their relationship.” He called the feud “a big, ugly battle,” and lamented the consequences for the country.
Laura Ingraham, typically a Trump defender, urged the former president to pull back.
“Musk is his own person,” she said. “Threatening to pull [his] government contracts—that’s not wise, when five minutes ago you were of course hailing Musk’s work in helping rescue the stranded Americans in space.”
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