In a high-profile event that was marred by technical difficulties, former President Donald Trump participated in a live interview with Elon Musk on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter. The interview, intended to be a significant moment in Trump's 2024 presidential campaign, quickly encountered issues as users struggled to join the live audio chat, leading to delays and frustration among listeners. Despite these setbacks, millions eventually tuned in, and the conversation covered a range of topics from immigration to the Department of Education.
The event, however, did not go unnoticed by Trump's political rivals. Vice President Kamala Harris's campaign was quick to criticize the interview, framing it as a symbol of Trump's alignment with wealthy elites like Musk, who they argue are out of touch with the concerns of ordinary Americans. "Donald Trump's extremism and dangerous Project 2025 agenda is a feature, not a glitch of his campaign, which was on full display for those unlucky enough to listen in tonight during whatever that was on X.com," said Harris campaign spokesperson Joseph Costello. He added, "Trump's entire campaign is in service of people like Elon Musk and himself - self-obsessed rich guys who will sell out the middle class and who cannot run a livestream in the year 2024."
The interview, which was delayed by over 40 minutes due to what Musk described as a "massive attack" on X's servers, eventually commenced with Trump recounting an assassination attempt he survived at a campaign rally last month. "If I had not turned my head, I would not be talking to you right now - as much as I like you," Trump told Musk. The conversation then shifted to Trump's policy proposals, including his controversial plan to dismantle the Department of Education, which he argues should be controlled by individual states.
Musk, who had previously criticized Trump, has in recent months aligned more closely with the former president, even endorsing him following the assassination attempt. This shift was evident during the interview, as Musk praised Trump's toughness, stating, "There's some real tough characters out there. And if they don't think the American president is tough, they will do what they want to do."
The Harris campaign seized on the technical issues that plagued the event, comparing them to a previous debacle involving Florida Governor Ron DeSantis's campaign launch on the same platform. At that time, Trump had mocked DeSantis's botched rollout, a point Harris's team was eager to highlight. "Wow! The DeSanctus TWITTER launch is a DISASTER! His whole campaign will be a disaster. WATCH!" Trump had written in a message that was reposted by Harris's campaign on Monday.
The event also underscored the evolving relationship between Trump and Musk, two figures who have transformed from adversaries to unlikely allies. Musk, who once described himself as a "moderate Democrat," has increasingly leaned into right-wing politics, using X to amplify his views on various issues, including what he calls the "woke mind virus" and false claims about voter fraud.
During the interview, Trump hinted at the possibility of Musk joining his administration if he wins the 2024 election, particularly in a role focused on reducing government waste. "You're the greatest cutter," Trump told Musk. "I need an Elon Musk - I need somebody that has a lot of strength and courage and smarts. I want to close up the Department of Education, move education back to the states."
This conversation marked Trump's return to X after nearly a year of inactivity on the platform. Although Musk reinstated Trump's account in November 2022, following his acquisition of the company, Trump had largely refrained from posting, preferring his own platform, Truth Social. His return to X was significant, given the platform's far larger audience compared to Truth Social, where Trump has 7.5 million followers versus 88 million on X.
The interview also highlighted the broader implications of Musk's control over X, as he uses the platform to influence political discourse globally. This influence has not gone unnoticed, with European officials expressing concern about the potential spread of harmful content through such high-profile events. Thierry Breton, the European Commissioner for Internal Market, issued a warning to Musk, urging him to ensure that X complies with the EU's Digital Services Act, which addresses issues like disinformation.
