A significant figure was missing as Donald Trump hosted leaders from America’s largest tech firms in the stunning national dining room of the White House on Thursday evening. Once a close ally of Trump, Elon Musk was a frequent topic of discussion but did not attend.

The dinner featured notable attendees such as Mark Zuckerberg from Meta, Bill Gates from Microsoft, Tim Cook from Apple, and Sam Altman from OpenAI. Only a few months earlier, a mask had rested on Trump’s right hand during similar gatherings. Musk, CEO of Tesla, stated on his social media platform X that he was invited but couldn’t make it. He intended to send representatives while spending the day posting content attacking immigrants and trans people.

The White House declined to comment on Musk’s absence from the dinner.

Originally scheduled to take place in the newly renovated Rose Garden, the event was moved indoors due to predictions of thunderstorms. It commenced with praise from various tech leaders, followed by a brief question-and-answer session with reporters.

The absence of masks marks a noteworthy shift under Trump’s leadership, whether the decision was voluntary or not. I often joked post-election, “Elon won’t leave; I can’t get rid of him.” The empty seats underscore the growing divide between Trump and Musk since the latter distanced himself earlier this year. This separation has diminished Musk’s political influence, despite his heavy financial investments aimed at supporting Trump’s 2024 re-election campaign.

Musk’s absence also mirrors a previous White House event that was a pivotal moment in his political journey. In 2022, then-President Joe Biden did not invite Musk to the electric vehicle summit, drawing criticism from the Autoworkers Union over concerns. At that time, Musk had not publicly aligned himself with the Republican Party, and he expressed his discontent with Biden’s snub, vowing not to support him. This decision ultimately proved detrimental for Democrats.

This incident clearly resonated with Musk, who tends to hold grudges similar to Trump. Even on the day of the dinner, he expressed his frustration towards Biden rather than his current ally, retweeting a clip from 2023 where he addressed Biden’s snub, declaring, “I’m going to start a fight, but I’m going to finish them.”

In the following years, Musk grappled with political rights, transforming X into a hub for far-right influencers. With over 200 million followers, he frequently retweeted disinformation about Democrats, alleging that immigrants were conspiring to illegally influence elections worldwide. Musk also became one of Trump’s staunchest and wealthiest supporters, donating nearly $300 million to Trump’s re-election efforts and Republican initiatives.

Musk’s support for Trump placed him in a pivotal position following Trump’s rise to power, as the tech mogul spearheaded initiatives for “government efficiency” and significantly dismantled federal agencies. He became a common presence at political dinners and events. However, a year after the British government made incendiary anti-immigrant statements, Musk was not invited to a major technology summit.

Musk and Trump’s relationship deteriorated over differing policy views in May, particularly after Musk publicly opposed a significant bill signed by Trump. This led to accusations against Trump regarding his connections to the infamous sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, causing Musk to largely disappear from prominent government events. Although Trump has praised Musk as a “genius,” he acknowledged on Wednesday night that Musk “has had some issues,” and the two have not been seen together since this fallout.

Despite Musk stepping back from the White House event, other tech leaders have filled the void. Earlier this month, Trump welcomed Apple CEO Tim Cook to the White House. Meanwhile, discussions among Trump’s aides about cutting government contracts with Musk, as reported by the Wall Street Journal, ultimately revealed that terminating these contracts could jeopardize too many essential projects.

Had Musk attended the dinner on Thursday, it would have created an uncomfortable dynamic, particularly given the presence of two companies he is currently opposing: Apple and OpenAI, led by his former collaborator and now rival, Altman. Like Trump, Musk has also publicly criticized Gates, particularly after the Microsoft founder’s alleged ties to Epstein, even accusing him of “killing children” through cuts to foreign aid.