Although they backed different candidates during the 2024 elections, Musk said it was “hard not to like” Fetterman in a social media post over the weekend. 

“He puts country over party,” Musk added in an X post.

His words came in response to a cordial video of Fetterman saying he would work with Musk to reduce government spending and waste through the incoming Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency. President-elect Donald Trump appointed Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to lead the department after he won a second term earlier this month. 

“I admire Mr. Musk,” Fetterman said Thursday in comments that noted he had played an “important” role in American society through artificial intelligence and SpaceX, among other things.

“Yes, he’s on a different team,” Fetterman conceded, alluding to the fact that Musk became one of Trump’s most powerful allies during his campaign against Vice President Kamala Harris, whom the senator backed. 

“But that doesn’t make me an enemy,” Fetterman continued. “I’m not gonna automatically going to become a critic. It’s like, hey, he has made it, you know, he’s made our economy and our nation better and our politics are different, and I don’t agree with some of the things that he might say, but that doesn’t make him like I said, an enemy.” 

Fetterman’s words follow remarks he made to Semafor, in which he called Musk “incredibly compelling to a demographic in my state.” 

His comments came as he reflected on the vigorous campaigning Musk did on behalf of Trump in Pennsylvania, a battleground widely considered essential to secure in order to win the election. In the final weeks of the election, Musk held a series of town halls in Fetterman’s home state. Pennsylvania was also one of the swing states where Musk awarded a million dollars to one voter each day until Election Day if they signed a petition backing the Constitution.

After Trump pulled off a clean win in Pennsylvania, Fetterman credited his victory in part to the “Elon Musk factor.” 

“He’s like Tony Stark. I thought it was just dumb to attack him or imply that he might be breaking the law with his $1 million checks, because, to me, that just projects weakness. And I promise you: Musk doesn’t give a s**t,” he said.

It isn’t atypical for Fetterman to offer an olive branch to the other side of the aisle. On Thursday, he called on President Joe Biden to pardon Trump of all the federal crimes he has been accused of. 

His rhetoric on Israel and immigration also often sounds more in tune with Republicans than with some of the more progressive factions in his own party. 

Although Fetterman supported Harris during her bid for the White House, he often played a cautionary role in her campaign, warning that she faced falling support from union workers and deep competition from Trump in reaching the working class. 

Fetterman isn’t the first Democrat to signal a willingness to work with Musk and Ramaswamy’s DOGE to slash wasteful government spending. 

Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) became the first Democrat to join the House DOGE Caucus earlier this month. Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) has also signaled that he will work with DOGE, while Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), who caucuses with Democrats, has emerged as another surprise supporter.