While the relationship between Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg was once thorny enough that Musk challenged Zuckerberg to a cagefight , things had warmed up by the early days of the second Trump administration — at least according to court documents published Friday.
As reported by Engadget , these texts between Zuckerberg and Musk were released as part of Musk’s lawsuit against OpenAI . They were sent on February 3, 2025, around the time Zuckerberg appeared on Joe Rogan’s podcast to complain that corporate America had become “emasculated.”
Referring to Musk’s aggressive government-slashing efforts through the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Zuckerberg texted, “Looks like DOGE is making progress. I’ve got our teams on alert to take down content doxxing or threatening the people on your team. Let me know if there’s anything else I can do to help.”
Musk reacted with a heart emoji, then asked, “Are you open to the idea of bidding on OpenAI with me and some others?”
In response, the Meta CEO suggested discussing the idea over the phone. According to previously released documents, Zuckerberg never actually signed on to join Musk’s bid .
StrictlyVC kicks off the year in SF. Get in the room for unfiltered fireside chats with industry leaders, insider VC insights, and high-value connections that actually move the needle. Tickets are limited.
Newsletters See More Subscribe for the industry’s biggest tech news
Every weekday and Sunday, you can get the best of TechCrunch’s coverage.
TechCrunch Mobility is your destination for transportation news and insight.
Startups are the core of TechCrunch, so get our best coverage delivered weekly.
Provides movers and shakers with the info they need to start their day.
By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice .
Mark Zuckerberg texted Elon Musk to offer help with DOGE Anthony Ha 12 hours ago Security Iranian hackers claim breach of FBI director Kash Patel’s personal email account Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai Zack Whittaker 2 days ago Government & Policy David Sacks is done as AI czar — here’s what he’s doing instead Connie Loizos 2 days ago X LinkedIn Facebook Instagram youTube Mastodon Threads Bluesky TechCrunch Staff Contact Us Advertise Crunchboard Jobs Site Map Terms of Service Privacy Policy RSS Terms of Use Code of Conduct Kalshi Copilot Blue Origin WordPress Bezos Tech Layoffs ChatGPT © 2026 TechCrunch Media LLC.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
-- --
PLEASE LIKE IF YOU FOUND THIS HELPFUL TO SUPPORT OUR FORUM.
