Elon Musk hosts Trump on X broadcast
Aug 12, 2024, 9:23 PM
This combination of photos shows former President Donald Trump during rally in Minden, Nev., Oct. 8, 2022, left, and Elon Musk in Wilmington, Del., July 12, 2021. (AP Photo)
(AP Photo)
SALT LAKE CITY — On the evening of Monday, August 12th, 2024, Elon Musk hosted a discussion with Former President Donald J. Trump on his social media platform X.
A recording of the conversation can be accessed here.
A delayed start
After an initial delay, which Musk attributed to a cyberattack, the two were able to broadcast their conversation, lasting about two hours.
“As this massive attack illustrates,” Musk said. “There’s a lot of opposition to people just hearing what President Trump has to say.”
The opening conversation
Musk stated at the opening that he wanted to show an authentic look at the former president during the broadcast. To achieve that goal, he said the broadcast would be a discussion rather than an interview.
“It’s hard to catch a vibe of someone if you don’t hear them talk in a normal way.” Musk said.
Early in the conversation, Musk asked about the attempted assassination of Trump during his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Trump described his interactions with members of the Secret Service during the attack, as well as remorse for the death of Corey Comperatore, a retired fire chief who died shielding his family from the gunfire.
Musk and Trump discuss current issues
Topics ranged from economy to infrastructure, energy, AI, geopolitics and the war in Ukraine. Trump consistently emphasized a need to have leadership that other nations view as strong. He stated that many global issues arose because other nations perceive the current administration as weak.
Musk told Trump that he believed the country needed a commission to oversee government spending.
“We need to reduce our government spending and we need to reexamine.” Musk said.
All throughout the conversation, users on X chimed in with their thoughts and clipped sections of the broadcast. Some showing support, others voicing their dissent.
Near the conclusion of the broadcast, the pair thanked one another and briefly mentioned the possibility of another talk. No plans have been announced, but, with months remaining before the presidential election, another discussion remains a possibility.
