Elon Musk and Donald Trump recently had a live interview on Elon’s social media platform, X, where they discussed controversial topics such as illegal immigration and an assassination attempt on Trump’s life. The conversation took an unexpected turn when Trump humorously claimed that illegal immigration actually saved his life. He recounted how a chart on illegal immigration distracted him just enough to avoid being hit by a bullet during a rally in Butler, PA. Trump repeatedly emphasized that it was a miracle and an act of God that he escaped unharmed, crediting illegal immigration for his survival.
During the interview, Elon Musk tried to bait Trump into criticizing the Secret Service for not securing the rooftop where the assassination attempt took place. However, Trump chose to praise the USSS agents and the sniper who took out the perpetrator, Thomas Matthew Crooks. Elon commended Trump for his resilience and praised the iconic image of him pumping his fist, which Trump believed embodied the spirit of America. Trump also announced plans to return to Butler for a campaign rally in October, highlighting his determination and connection to his supporters.
The live audio interview was scheduled to start at 8 PM ET, but it faced technical difficulties that delayed the conversation. Elon Musk attributed the issues to a cyberattack, claiming a “massive” denial of service attack disrupted the platform. Despite testing the system with 8 million concurrent listeners earlier in the day, X failed to handle the influx of users during the interview. Musk decided to conduct a smaller interview with Trump and promised to post the unedited audio immediately thereafter as a solution to the technical challenges.
Donald Trump’s presence on Elon Musk’s platform, X, marked a significant return to social media for the former president. Trump had been banned from Twitter, known as X at the time, after the Capitol riots in 2021. However, when Elon acquired the platform in 2022, he reinstated Trump’s account, leading to a resurgence in Trump’s online activity. The interview with Elon provided Trump with a platform to share campaign ads and criticize his opponent, Kamala Harris, showcasing his renewed engagement with social media.
Securing an interview with Donald Trump was a major coup for Elon Musk, especially following his endorsement of Trump for president after the assassination attempt in July. The conversation shed light on their differing perspectives on immigration and security issues, highlighting the complexities of their relationship. Despite the technical difficulties during the interview, Elon and Trump managed to engage in a candid discussion that captured the attention of their audience. The controversial topics discussed during the interview are likely to spark further debates and discussions in the political landscape.