US President Donald Trump is set to honour billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk with the National Medal of Science at a White House ceremony on Thursday.
Musk will receive the award alongside Google co-founder Sergey Brin, Nvidia Chief Executive Officer Jensen Huang and AMD CEO Lisa Su at the White House’s “Science: A New Golden Age” summit.
The National Medal of Science is the United States’ highest honour for scientists and engineers. Trump is also expected to present the National Medal of Technology and Innovation to Dell Technologies CEO Michael Dell and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella.
The ceremony will mark the first time Trump has personally presented either of the two medals during his two presidential terms, according to reports.
The recognition comes despite the highly publicised fallout between Trump and Musk after the billionaire briefly served as a prominent figure in the administration’s efforts to reduce the federal workforce.
Musk was also one of Trump’s major financial supporters during the 2024 presidential campaign, contributing more than $290 million, according to CNBC.
Other recipients have also had links to Trump or Republican causes. Brin donated to the Republican National Committee in 2025 and attended Trump’s second inauguration, while Dell and his wife, Susan, pledged billions of dollars to the administration’s “Trump Accounts” programme.
White House spokeswoman Liz Huston said the recipients were being honoured for contributions that would help the United States maintain its leadership in innovation.
The awards come as the Trump administration promotes its broader science and technology agenda, including efforts to expand artificial intelligence-driven research and strengthen America’s position in emerging technologies. The administration’s “Science: A New Golden Age” report outlines plans to reshape the country’s approach to scientific research and development.