The escalating war of words between President Donald Trump and tech mogul Elon Musk marked the most contentious chapter in a yearslong and at-times rocky relationship between two of the most influential figures in business and politics.

It would have been another banner day for Silicon Valley’s blossoming alliance with Washington — if only President Donald Trump and Elon Musk hadn’t been attacking each other online. While the two men traded barbs on their respective social networks,