Trump honours Elon Musk with top US science award, calls him ‘modern-day Thomas Edison’

US President Donald Trump on Thursday honoured billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk with the National Medal of Science, America's highest recognition for scientists and engineers, describing the SpaceX founder as a “modern-day Thomas Edison” and praising his contributions to technological innovation and the country's national interests.

Speaking at the Science: A New Golden Age Summit in Washington, Trump called Musk a national treasure and credited him with advancing American leadership in space exploration and technology.

“Few Americans in history have done more to advance America's national interest than Elon,” Trump said while presenting the award.

The President also praised Musk's achievements in developing ambitious technological projects, particularly through SpaceX, which has played a significant role in commercial space exploration and satellite communications.

“Elon is our modern-day Thomas Edison,” Trump said, congratulating the entrepreneur and describing him as a special figure in American innovation.

The ceremony also marked another public demonstration of improved relations between Trump and Musk after their widely reported political differences in 2025.

Technology leaders honoured

Alongside Musk, Trump presented the National Medal of Science to Google co-founder Sergey Brin, Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) chief executive Lisa Su.

The National Medal of Science, established by the US Congress in 1959, recognises individuals who have made outstanding contributions to scientific knowledge and engineering in service to the country.

Brin was recognised for his contributions to information retrieval and data-processing algorithms that helped transform access to information.

Huang received the honour for advances in graphics processing units, which have become essential to modern artificial intelligence systems and high-performance computing.

Su was recognised for her contributions to semiconductor engineering and the development of advanced computing technologies.

Trump also presented the National Medal of Technology and Innovation to Dell Technologies founder Michael Dell and Microsoft chief executive Satya Nadella.

The award recognises significant contributions to technological advancement and innovation in the United States.

Focus on American innovation

Addressing the gathering, Trump said his administration was committed to maintaining America's leadership in scientific research, artificial intelligence, semiconductor technology and other emerging industries.

“With the help of the brilliant men and women here today, we will always be on top. There is nobody that can compete with us, nobody,” he said.

The President maintained that his administration had taken steps to strengthen American competitiveness in science and technology since returning to office.

He also highlighted initiatives intended to accelerate scientific discoveries and improve the use of advanced computing in research.

Trump said he had signed an executive order on quantum computing and set a target of developing a quantum computer for scientific discovery by 2028.

He also referred to the administration's Genesis Mission, an initiative intended to use advanced artificial intelligence to address major scientific and technological challenges.

Musk-Trump ties improve

The recognition comes after a period of strained relations between Trump and Musk, who had previously been among the President's prominent political supporters.

Musk played an influential role in Trump's 2024 presidential campaign and subsequently became involved in the administration's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which sought to reduce federal expenditure.

However, the relationship deteriorated in 2025 following disagreements over government spending legislation and the administration's economic policies.

The two exchanged public criticism before their relationship began improving in subsequent months.

Musk has since appeared at several high-profile White House events, including gatherings involving technology executives and international leaders.

Trump's remarks at Thursday's ceremony reflected the renewed public warmth between the two, with the President expressing appreciation for Musk's contributions to American technological development.

Scientific research priorities

The summit also provided a platform for the administration to outline its broader approach to scientific research and federal funding.

The White House has been pursuing changes to how government-supported research is financed and managed, with an emphasis on accelerating innovation and strengthening cooperation with private technology companies.

The event brought together leading executives from the semiconductor, software, computing and aerospace industries, highlighting the administration's focus on emerging technologies as a component of economic and national security policy.

For Musk, the National Medal of Science adds a major federal honour to his career as an entrepreneur associated with electric vehicles, reusable rockets, satellite communications and artificial intelligence.

The ceremony concluded with Trump reiterating his administration's commitment to keeping the United States at the forefront of global scientific and technological development.