ormer President Donald Trump returned to the social media platform X on Monday for a lengthy interview with CEO Elon Musk, marking his first appearance on the platform in nearly a year. The wide-ranging conversation touched on topics from electric vehicles to Trump's 2024 campaign.
The event was delayed by 40 minutes due to what Musk described as a "massive DDOS attack" on X. Once underway, the freewheeling dialogue lasted around two hours and drew an audience of over 1 million listeners at its peak.
Trump Hints at Policy Plans
The former president hinted at several new policy proposals during the discussion. He expressed interest in developing an "Iron Dome" missile defense system similar to Israel's, argued for closing the Department of Education and giving more authority over education to the states, and promised the "largest deportation in history" if elected in 2024.
Trump also hit familiar notes, vowing to bring auto manufacturing jobs back to the Midwest and accusing the current administration of weakness on issues like crime and immigration.
Musk and Trump Find Common Ground
In a nod to his host, Trump said he was now "for electric cars" thanks to Musk's endorsement. The former president has often criticized the practicality and affordability of vehicles like Tesla in the past.
Despite their very different backgrounds, Musk and Trump found common ground in their distaste for government oversight and skepticism of expert opinion.
"I like strong leaders," Musk said at one point, as Trump talked admiringly of Kim Jong Un and other autocrats. The tech entrepreneur also pitched himself as a potential advisor who could help Trump cut government spending, perhaps angling for an administration role.
Harris Team Pushes Back
The Biden campaign fired back against Trump and Musk in real time. Fundraising emails slammed Musk as a "lackey" providing Trump a platform, while tweets from the campaign's account mocked Trump's speech patterns during the event.
With less than 90 days until the election, both Trump and Democratic nominee Kamala Harris are seeking viral moments to motivate supporters and sway undecided voters. Monday's spectacle likely accomplished that for the former president.
Alas! Trump didn't mention anything about Bitcoin or Cryptocurrency in his spaces.
