Key Facts Explained: Trump, Musk Interview And Presidential Election

After nearly a year of exile from social media platform X, formerly known as twitter, Republican presidential candidate Trump posted on X two days before an interview with the CEO Elon Musk.

Following his shift toward right wing political discourse, owner of ‘X’ previously known as ‘Twitter’, Elon Musk took interview of Donald Trump. This unconventional talk surely held an opportunity for Trump to reach to wider audience beyond his appearance on conservative outlets like Fox News.

Trump, Musk friendly conversation: key points

In a much-anticipated return to social media, former President Donald Trump shared harrowing details of an assassination attempt and pledged the largest deportation in US history during a live interview with on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. The conversation was marred by technical issues, frustrating many of Trump’s supporters as the start was delayed by over 40 minutes.

Former President recalled the assassination attempt

“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. He attributed his survival to quick reflexes and divine intervention, emphasizing the severity of the situation by stating, “For those people that don’t believe in God, I think
we all have to start thinking about that.”

Musk responded by praising Trump’s bravery, saying, “You can’t fake bravery under such circumstances — the courage is instinctual or it is not.” Trump reflected on the aftermath of the incident, recalling how he wanted to reassure his supporters by standing up and showing he was unharmed. “I wanted to get up and let them know I was okay — and they went wild,” he said.

Trump Criticized Kamala Harris and Joe Biden

Trump attacked President Joe Biden saying he “failed miserably” in the presidential debate with him. He alsom called Biden’s exit a “coup” by Democrats.

Trump also seized the opportunity to criticize Vice President Kamala Harris and labeled her as “fake”, blaming her for the influx of illegal migrants. “The number of illegals Kamala has welcomed into our communities is much bigger than we think,” Trump asserted, accusing her of allowing criminals to enter the country.

He also attacked Biden’s handling of the Ukraine crisis, claiming that Russia would not have invaded Ukraine if he were still president. Trump suggested that his strong relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin could have prevented the conflict, saying, “I got along with Putin very well, and he respected me.

Long absence from X

It is noteworthy that former US president has long been absent from the platform X after he suspension following January 6 Capitol attack by his supporters. However, when Elon Musk took control of the social media platform in October 2022, he pledged to restore Trump’s account. Later, in November of the same year Trump’s account got restored.

Notably, Donald Trump refused to continue to the use of ‘X’ and had only made a single post before Monday on August 24, 2023. To be sure, August 24, 2023 marked his surrender to the Fulton County Jail in Georgia.

Musk’s Influence on US Politics

Experts argue, the interview not only provided Trump to reach to a range of US voter beyond those attending his political rallies or conventional supporter as he has largely communicated with his followers through Truth Social, a platform owned by his eponymous Trump Media & Technology Group, it also gave Musk a chance to portray his influence on US politics.

In his conversations with Trump, he often highlighted “my view” on matters like climate change and fossil fuels, and praised the “sexiness” of his Tesla electric cars. He also emphasized the need for governments to reduce regulations, a notion that Trump enthusiastically supported.

Musk, who had previously supported Democrats like former President Barack Obama, has shifted to the right in recent years.