It appears Elon Musk is lending a hand to Donald Trump in regaining momentum through a highly publicized interview on X, following weeks of setbacks against rival Kamala Harris.
On the evening of August 12th, the world’s wealthiest individual, Elon Musk, and former U.S. President Donald Trump seemed to align on nearly every topic during a live interview broadcast on the social media platform X. “I believe we’re at a crossroads and need to choose the right path. You are that path. You are the road to prosperity, whereas Vice President Kamala Harris represents the opposite,” Musk declared.
This interview marks yet another twist in the unpredictable race to the White House, coming on the heels of an attempted assassination on Trump in Pennsylvania and President Joe Biden’s unexpected decision to withdraw from the race, passing the torch to his deputy, Harris.
Recent polls indicate that Harris has not only closed the gap with Trump in national approval ratings but has also surged ahead in key battleground states.
Trump’s advisors acknowledge that they’re grappling with how best to counter this new formidable opponent. Trump himself has experimented with various lines of attack in campaign speeches and interviews. But as these tactics fail to resonate, his allies are increasingly urging a campaign overhaul to avoid a potential downfall.
In this precarious situation, Trump is in desperate need of a game-changer to reclaim the media’s attention and the American public’s focus. Enter the interview with Elon Musk—a strategic move considered to be that very game-changer.
Despite some hiccups due to “cyberattacks” that delayed the interview by over 40 minutes, the event managed to captivate more than a million simultaneous viewers. Musk confidently predicted that at least 100 million people would eventually watch the interview’s content in the coming days.
Trump praised Musk for the overwhelming audience size, quipping, “I hope you’re not nervous because so many people are listening. I think there must be 60-70 million people,” even though X’s metrics showed just over 1.3 million live listeners.
The interview seems to be Musk’s calculated attempt to bolster Trump’s chances of stemming the rising tide of support for Harris. Musk leveraged his own persona and the X platform, aiming to guide Trump in formulating stronger, more effective arguments against his opponent.
However, much of the over two-hour-long interview was dominated by attacks on Harris and Biden, interspersed with mutual admiration between the two billionaires.
“She’s an extreme leftist,” Trump declared. The former president also suggested, without evidence, that Biden had been sidelined by the Democratic Party in favor of Harris. “She hasn’t done an interview since this whole scam started. Let’s be clear, this is still a coup against a sitting U.S. president.”
Musk appeared to agree, labeling Harris as an extreme leftist while flattering Trump by implying that the Republican candidate was strong, in stark contrast to his “weak” opponent.
The conversation between a former president and the world’s richest man also highlighted what each could potentially gain from the event.
Elon Musk made a strong impression on the Republican presidential candidate, sharing his views on immigration, the economy, government regulation, and tax cuts. Musk’s companies, including SpaceX and Tesla, could be significantly impacted by changes in U.S. policy. Few ordinary Americans have the chance to engage directly with a potential president in such a way.
Musk even floated the idea of taking a role in Trump’s administration, possibly on a committee focused on “reviewing spending and auditing taxpayers’ money.” In response, Trump expressed enthusiasm, saying he would “love” to have Musk on board, emphasizing that the billionaire is a “great cost-cutter,” referencing the cost-saving measures Musk has implemented in his companies.
During the more than two-hour conversation, Trump reaped numerous benefits. Elon Musk, for the most part, offered no opposition to any of the former president’s claims, including some unverified and controversial statements, such as the notion that 60 million undocumented immigrants could flood into the U.S. if Trump loses the upcoming election.
The interview allowed Trump to sharpen some of his policy points for a potential second term, moving beyond personal attacks against Harris. Both he and Musk accused the current President and Vice President of implementing spending policies that have exacerbated the inflation crisis, impacting millions of Americans.
However, Trump’s meandering statements, lack of data, and conspiracy theories could alienate some voters, particularly women and suburban residents in key battleground states.
If she becomes president, very quickly, people will lose the country,” Trump warned about a Harris presidency without offering any supporting evidence. This remark echoes Trump’s previous claims about America being “destroyed” under Biden’s leadership.
Stephen Collinson, a CNN commentator, observed that the interview is a clear example of how American politics has significantly shifted due to social media, especially as traditional media becomes increasingly polarized.
Republicans argue that the American press has recently focused too much on Harris while “forgetting” Trump. This perceived slight may have motivated the former president to seek out Musk, who acquired Twitter, rebranded it as X, and reinstated Trump’s account.
Donald Trump might not have ascended to the presidency without Twitter, a platform that propelled him into political prominence just as it reached its peak. His ability to leverage new platforms continues to give him an edge over his opponents.
Many Trump supporters will continue to watch or listen to interview clips in the coming days. They will likely agree with much of what the former president said, demonstrating that he still has political influence and appeal even as Harris significantly reshapes the race,” Collinson wrote.
