By Molly Goddard
11:24am PDT, May 2, 2025
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Donald Trump seems to think he can turn any foe into an ally.
While speaking to graduates during a commencement
speech at the University of Alabama on Thursday, May 1, the president boldly claimed the people who used to be against him during his first term — like
Elon Musk — are now "kissing" his rear end.
Keep reading to hear what Trump told the young people about getting an enemy's loyalty…
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In his address, Donald Trump said, "Progress never comes from those satisfied with the failures of a broken system. It comes from those who want to fix the broken system — and you'll make the bigger money, you'll make more
success by acting that way. The other way may be more secure, but if you want to go to the top, you're just never going to do it unless you break the system."
Then the Republican leader pointed out how he's been able to get former critics on his side — specifically Elon Musk: "You have to break the system a little bit and follow your own instincts, but if your vision is right, nothing will hold you down. Nothing. You have to have the right vision. If you look at some of these internet people, I know so many of them — Elon is so terrific — but I know now all of them. You know, they all hated me in my first term, and now they're kissing my a**," he said. "It's true. All of them. It's true."
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In 2016, Elon Musk was extremely critical of Donald Trump's pursuit to be president. "I feel a bit stronger that he is not the right guy," the tech mogul said in an interview with
CNBC ahead of the right-winger's face off against
Hillary Clinton.
"He doesn't seem to have the sort of character that reflects well on the United States," Musk continued.
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Fast forward to 2025, Elon Musk joined Donald Trump's second administration as a special employee to help slash government spending with DOGE.
"You know, the American people voted for secure borders, safe cities and sensible spending — and that's what they've gotten. [A] tremendous amount has been accomplished in the first 100 days. As everyone has said, it's more than has been in any administration before — ever, period. So this portends very well for what will happen for the rest of the administration. I think this could be the greatest administration since the founding of the country," the Tesla boss gushed over Trump during a Wednesday, April 30,
cabinet meeting.
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Donald Trump seems to think everyone wants to get in his good graces. In April after the businessman imposed steep
tariffs for many nations, he claimed leaders were trying to make nice with him.
"I'm telling you, these countries are calling us up, kissing my a**. They are dying to make a deal. 'Please, please, sir, make a deal. I'll do anything. I'll do anything, sir,'" he claimed during a National Republican Congressional Committee President's Dinner.
