From electric vehicles to space exploration, Musk is a necessary ally of the White House — even if the president detests him.

The latest back-and-forth between the two men began on Thursday, when Musk said he had a “super bad feeling” about the economy in an email to Tesla employees first reported by Reuters. Musk added he would need to cut about 10% of salaried staff at the electric carmaker and “pause all hiring worldwide” as a result.