On Monday, Donald Trump participated in a discussion on X’s platform, Spaces, where he engaged in a live audio interview with Elon Musk. The event, which was intended to showcase Trump’s perspectives, ended up being a platform for him to disseminate falsehoods, disparage his adversaries, and engage in rambling monologues. Musk, in his role as the interviewer, appeared more inclined to guide Trump through the conversation gently, rather than challenging any of the dubious statements the former president made.
The interview began with significant technical difficulties, leading to a 45-minute delay. Musk attributed the delay to what he claimed was a “massive DDOS attack,” though no concrete evidence was provided to support this assertion. Despite Musk’s lack of substantiation, he seemed to endorse a follower’s baseless theory that the delay was the result of efforts by Democrats to thwart the discussion, purportedly to protect democracy from Trump and Musk, whom the follower described as “massive disrupters.”
Once the conversation got underway, it stretched over two hours, during which Trump largely repeated his well-known grievances and criticisms, particularly targeting the Biden administration and Vice President Kamala Harris. Musk occasionally steered Trump toward discussing substantive issues like immigration and the economy, but his questions were notably non-confrontational. Throughout the interview, Musk’s demeanor suggested a lack of willingness to press Trump on controversial topics, leading to a somewhat one-sided exchange where Musk often simply agreed with Trump’s assertions.
At one point during the discussion, Trump made an unusual comment about Vice President Kamala Harris, complimenting her appearance by calling her “beautiful.” This remark was surprising given that it followed a series of derogatory comments about her intelligence and leadership abilities. Trump’s compliment seemed insincere, appearing more as a backhanded attempt to criticize the media for what he perceives as an undue focus on Harris’s looks. He criticized her leadership skills, expressing doubt about her ability to handle complex international relations, particularly with leaders like China’s President Xi Jinping.
Musk, maintaining his agreeable stance, added little to this part of the conversation beyond acknowledging Trump’s criticism of Harris. The exchange then took a bizarre turn as Trump compared Harris to former First Lady Melania Trump, implying that the media unfairly elevates Harris’s attractiveness. This comment led to an awkward moment where Musk responded with an uncomfortable chuckle and an attempt to redirect the conversation to other topics, such as the American dream.
The strange dynamic between Trump and Musk throughout the interview reflected a broader narrative in which Musk appeared more interested in maintaining a cordial atmosphere than in holding Trump accountable for his statements. This was particularly evident in Musk’s reluctance to challenge Trump on his past personal attacks on Harris, including derogatory comments and questions about her racial identity.
In response to the interview, Harris’s campaign opted not to address Trump’s comments about her appearance directly. Instead, they issued a statement condemning the discussion between Trump and Musk, framing it as a meeting of wealthy individuals out of touch with the concerns of the average American. The campaign’s official statement portrayed Trump and Musk as self-centered billionaires more interested in preserving their wealth and influence than in addressing the needs of the middle class.
“Trump’s entire campaign is in service of people like Elon Musk and himself — self-obsessed rich guys who will sell out the middle class and who cannot run a livestream in the year 2024”
The campaign’s characterization of the interview as a self-indulgent exchange between two privileged individuals resonated with those critical of both Trump and Musk. The interview highlighted not only Trump’s reliance on well-worn talking points but also Musk’s apparent willingness to provide a platform for these views without meaningful scrutiny. This lack of critical engagement from Musk contributed to the perception that the interview was more of a staged performance than a genuine dialogue on the issues facing the nation.
