“It’s good for America” – Shark Tank's Kevin O’Leary weighs in on a possible Trump-Elon reconciliation

Kevin O’Leary, businessman and longtime investor on Shark Tank, weighed in on the high-profile rift between Elon Musk and Donald Trump during a June 8 appearance on CNN Newsroom. O’Leary, known for his outspoken views on business and government policy, posted a clip of the interview to his official Instagram page the same day.

In the video, he spoke about the broader implications of their disagreement, especially with Musk’s companies tied to government contracts and Trump pushing forward legislation with major economic consequences.

“I think it's good for America if they reconcile,”

O’Leary said during the segment, stressing how Musk’s innovations in EVs, space, robotics, and neuroscience are essential to maintaining U.S. technological leadership.

“This is what makes American technology desirable all around the world. And Elon’s a genius. I think everybody understands that. He's very eclectic. We know that with certainty. But this is not productive at all," he said.

Shark Tank star Kevin O’Leary on the political fallout and future between Trump and Musk

In his June 8 conversation with CNN Newsroom, Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary addressed the growing tension between Elon Musk and Donald Trump, highlighting the broader implications of their conflict on U.S. economic and political stability. He said it would be good for the nation if they joined hands, citing Musk’s impact on industries that are in direct competition with global powers.

Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary pointed out that the rift between Musk and Trump originated around discussions of the national deficit. He referenced Republican Senator Ron Johnson’s remarks, saying:

“Ron Johnson was the first senator to point out, very simply, that before, and even in Trump's first term, the deficit was under a trillion dollars.”

O’Leary explained that Musk was brought in to support cost-cutting initiatives to identify and remove $2 trillion in government spending, tying the plan directly to Trump’s fiscal agenda. However, Musk’s frustration mounted as he encountered the realities of Washington.

“He gets caught in the swamp of Washington… he has great executional skills, he gets stuff done. So that’s how this narrative started about that $2 trillion,” O’Leary said.

O’Leary emphasized the importance of small businesses in job creation, noting they generate 70 percent of employment in the U.S. He said he found several troubling aspects in the 'One Big Beautiful Bill,' which led him to work directly with congressional aides. However, he acknowledged that only minor adjustments were likely, not a full overhaul.

Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary also discussed the chances of the bill passing through Congress. He estimated a “70 percent chance, maybe better,” that the legislation would pass, emphasizing that Trump wants it done. O’Leary said:

“This bill is moving through like a train through a tunnel right now… Everybody’s got these ideas, save a trillion here, save a trillion there. That will happen, but not on this bill.”

He added that staffers would likely finish revisions by Friday, June 14, and then the bill would return to the House. When asked whether returning the bill to the House could cause more roadblocks, especially from deficit hawks, O’Leary said no.

“I met with the House… I tried to make changes at the House. They said not going to happen,” he explained.

According to O’Leary, despite some dissent, the bill enjoys broad momentum and will likely be finalized before the July 4 deadline set by Congress. On the subject of Musk’s prediction of a recession triggered by Trump’s tariffs, O’Leary dismissed the concern.

The Shark Tank star reiterated that 54 major companies were not showing signs of economic slowdown. “The U.S. economy is strong,” he stated, countering Musk’s recession forecast. However, O’Leary agreed that Musk’s recent public statements—especially those involving Jeffrey Epstein—were unhelpful. He said:

“That was just too crazy... It was such noise compared to the business of the nation… Elon should apologize.”

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Shark Tank airs every Friday on ABC.

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