At the annual Sun Valley “summer camp for billionaires” on Tuesday (July 8), OpenAI CEO Sam Altman took a jab at former partner Elon Musk while weighing in on Musk’s crumbling relationship with President Donald Trump, during a conversation with The New York Post.
From allies to adversaries
Altman and Musk co-founded OpenAI in 2015 but had a falling out in 2018. Disagreements over the company’s direction — particularly whether it should remain non-profit — led Musk to depart and set off a long-running feud. The rivalry has since played out in legal filings and public jabs.
Musk–Trump fallout
Once close allies, Musk and Trump have recently turned on each other following Musk’s announcement of the “America Party” — a third-party political movement that could complicate Trump’s 2026 midterms.
Trump called Musk a “train wreck” after the launch of the party.
Altman, when asked whether he would support Musk’s new political venture, didn’t hold back.
“I don’t know. I haven’t had a chance to read about it,” he said, offering a veiled jab at the party and its chaotic rollout.
Altman edges into Trump’s orbit
Despite previously donating $1 million to Trump’s 2016 inauguration fund, Altman has largely stayed out of partisan politics — until now. In January, he appeared at the White House with Trump to promote the Stargate AI project, a $500 billion federal initiative focused on artificial intelligence and national infrastructure.
A crumbling alliance
Trump and Musk’s friendship began unraveling after Musk publicly rejected Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” — a piece of legislation seen as a centerpiece of the President’s economic revival agenda. Musk’s rejection of the bill reportedly infuriated Trump, accelerating their rift.