"People come, people go" — Shark Tank investor Kevin O'Leary says egos clash but alliances shift back just as fast 

Shark Tank investor Kevin O’Leary recently addressed that in the world of high-profile relationships and power dynamics, it is common to see rapid changes in alliances. This insight came amid public attention on the tensions between Elon Musk and the U.S. President Donald Trump. During his appearance on a daily news program titled Insight with Haslinda Amin, O’Leary explained:

"People come, people go, you know, think about walls. He's out. It's kind of like it's a rotation."

O’Leary shared a video clip from this interview on his Instagram handle on June 6, 2025. He compared Musk and Trump's fallout to a temporary rift rather than a permanent split. According to him, conflicts between powerful individuals often resolve and realign over time.

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Shark Tank's Kevin O’Leary explains why high-level alliances shift quickly

The volatile nature of inner circles

Kevin O’Leary noted that volatility in influential inner circles is not unusual. Reflecting on Trump’s presidential terms, he said:

“If you go back to Trump's first term, and even in the second term, the number of people in the inner circle, it's very volatile.”

He said that this pattern is likened to a rotation, where proximity to power has limits. The Shark Tank investor explained:

“You get too close to the sun, your wings melt, you fall out, but it's not the end of the free world as we know it.”

Kevin elaborated that the shifts in loyalty within close circles are expected as circumstances and relationships evolve. He described the situation with Musk and Trump as one example of many similar cases, pointing out that the public fallout is mostly "noise" and does not hold long-term significance.

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Attributes driving alliances

O’Leary emphasized that despite conflicts, alliances form based on mutually beneficial attributes. Speaking about the Tesla CEO and the U.S President, he said:

“I know it's salacious, it's really an interesting story, but at the end of the day they both have attributes that the other wants.”

He claimed that both individuals “have huge egos” which can lead to clashes but also serve as a foundation for collaboration. Comparing their relationship to a marriage, the Shark Tank investor stated:

“They had a bad date. It's like a marriage and they're having a fight. I'm over it already.”

Kevin expressed confidence that Musk and Trump will eventually reconnect. He suggested that despite the public nature of their fallout, private communication and mutual interests are likely to bring them back together. He said they have this ability to "work it out" through personal contact.

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Broader implications beyond personal disputes

Shark Tank investor connected this dynamic to broader trends in business and technology, particularly regarding Musk’s Tesla. He described Tesla as “one of the most volatile tech stocks in the world,” driven by multiple factors including innovations like robotics and autonomous driving. Highlighting his own position, O’Leary stated:

“I'm a Tesla shareholder. I've seen this movie multiple times.”

He pointed to his experience with volatility and recovery in both relationships and markets. He compared this to historical events such as the Tylenol crisis decades ago, where despite setbacks, the brand became significantly larger. He added:

"People said it would never be around again. It's ten times the size."

He assessed these fluctuations as part of ongoing cycles rather than endpoints.

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