In a highly anticipated interview with Elon Musk, former U.S. President Donald Trump made several bold claims, including that President Joe Biden’s recent decision to drop out of the 2024 presidential race was a result of a “coup.” The interview, livestreamed on X and delayed by 40 minutes due to technical issues, was a mix of grievances, personal attacks, and controversial statements.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump asserted that his performance in a debate with President Joe Biden forced the 81-year-old to exit the race. “I beat President Joe Biden so bad in the debate, he was forced out of the race—one of the greatest debate performances ever. President Joe Biden’s exit, it was a coup,” former U.S. President Donald Trump claimed. President Joe Biden’s unexpected withdrawal last month led to the endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic presidential nominee, following mounting pressure from within his party after a poor debate performance on June 28.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump did not hold back in expressing his displeasure over Harris replacing President Joe Biden. He criticized her for avoiding interviews since the “scam” began, a sentiment Elon Musk seemed to share. The two also criticized Harris’s running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, with former U.S. President Donald Trump targeting him for implementing progressive policies in the state. “Well, her running mate approved, signed into legislation, tampons in boys’ bathrooms,” former U.S. President Donald Trump remarked, to which Elon Musk responded, “Yeah, that’s weird.”
The interview also took a dramatic turn when former U.S. President Donald Trump recounted an assassination attempt against him, describing it as “not pleasant” and “surreal.” The attempt occurred during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, last month. Elon Musk expressed admiration for former U.S. President Donald Trump’s response to the attempt, citing it as part of the reason for his endorsement of former U.S. President Donald Trump’s presidential bid. The former president vowed to return to Butler, joking about resuming his speech from where it was interrupted.
As the interview continued, former U.S. President Donald Trump renewed his attacks on President Joe Biden and Harris, particularly on the issue of border security. He reiterated his claims that other countries are sending criminals and mentally ill individuals across the U.S. border and pledged to oversee the “largest deportation” in American history if re-elected. Elon Musk supported Former U.S. President Donald Trump’s stance, highlighting his own observations during a visit to the southern border and noting that the people he encountered “did not look friendly.”
Former U.S. President Donald Trump also took aim at President Joe Biden’s intelligence, stating that the president “might not even have an IQ at all.” This remark came during a discussion on the Russia-Ukraine war, where former U.S. President Donald Trump argued that Russia would not have invaded Ukraine if he were still president. He praised authoritarian leaders such as Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, claiming they were at the “top of their game” and that he got along well with them.
The former president also blamed President Joe Biden for the U.S.’s ongoing inflation crisis, stating that it has “killed” Americans. Former U.S. President Donald Trump expressed disbelief in the official inflation figures, arguing that the situation is worse than reported. In 2022, U.S. inflation hit a 40-year high of 9.1%.
During the two-hour-long conversation, Elon Musk proposed a role for himself in former U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration if the latter is re-elected, specifically in controlling government spending. “I think it would be great to just have a government efficiency commission that takes a look at these things and just ensures that the taxpayer money, the taxpayers’ hard-earned money, is spent in a good way,” Elon Musk suggested. Former U.S. President Donald Trump welcomed the idea, praising Elon Musk’s cost-cutting measures at X and other companies.
The interview drew significant attention, with over 1.3 million viewers tuning in 45 minutes into the conversation. Former U.S. President Donald Trump congratulated Elon Musk on breaking viewership records, while Elon Musk blamed the delay on a distributed denial-of-service attack, though this claim was not confirmed.
The conversation underscored the complex and often controversial relationship between former U.S. President Donald Trump and Elon Musk, as well as their shared views on key political issues. As the 2024 presidential race heats up, their alliance could play a significant role in shaping the future of American politics.
