Former President Trump spoke with Tesla creator Elon Musk on X on Monday, his first major return to the social media platform since his reinstatement in 2023.

Trump and Musk chatted for about two hours after their call was delayed by technical issues that prevented many others from initially participating. The two discussed a variety of topics, including Trump’s recent assassination attempt, his views on immigration and the economy, and the future of energy production. Musk has endorsed Trump’s 2024 candidacy.

 

Here are 5 takeaways from their discussion.

——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Also Read : Musk’s X chat with Trump is plagued by technical difficulties

Musk’s X chat with Trump is plagued by technical difficulties

Link : Musk’s X chat with Trump is plagued by technical difficulties

Elon Musk‘s highly anticipated talks with Republican presidential contender Donald Trump on the billionaire’s Platform X have been overshadowed by technical complications.

The conversation, in which Mr. Musk addressed lively questions about immigration and inflation, started more than 40 minutes late due to technical problems for many users.

——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

 

Trump returned to X

Monday marked Trump’s return to the social media platform where he has largely established his political brand and changed the rules of presidential communication.

Trump not only spoke with Musk on Spaces, but he also posted numerous times on X in the hours leading up to the interview, indicating that he may be returning to X as a form of communication during a turbulent period in his campaign to retake the White House.

 

At its peak, the Monday Space had more than a million listeners

Trump was a frequent poster on the network when it was known as Twitter, but his account was suspended shortly after the Capitol riots on January 6, 2021, after officials said his messages posed a “risk of further incitement to violence”.

His account was resurrected last year, after Musk acquired the site and rebranded it as X. He has only posted once since releasing a mug shot from a Georgia criminal complaint last August.

The former president’s return to the platform comes as polls show Vice President Harris has eroded Trump’s poll lead and has sparked strong enthusiasm after replacing President Biden at the head of the Democratic ticket.

Trump avoids major missteps

The former president’s conversation with Musk resembled one of his rallies, with Trump rambling repeatedly, attacking Harris and Biden as “incompetent,” and repeating many of the anecdotes he delivers at campaign events.

However, he was able to focus on concerns, particularly inflation, while avoiding the heated, divisive words that have plagued his recent public appearances.

“The election is coming up, and people want to know about the economy. Trump blamed the current administration for rising food prices. “And that’s a shame. In my perspective, that is what people are most concerned about.

The former president labeled Harris a “San Francisco liberal” who has shifted her stance on subjects like fracking and police defunding. He claimed Harris would revert to more liberal positions if elected in November.

Trump also criticized Harris’ running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D), for passing legislation requiring schools to provide free menstruation products in all public restrooms.

 

Some of Trump’s recent public appearances have been tarnished by contentious remarks, and his backers have urged him to focus on policy.

During a meeting with the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ), the previous president attacked Harris for her multiracial origins. A recent campaign rally in Atlanta was overshadowed by his assaults on Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R), and at a news conference last week, Trump boasted about the size of the audience he drew before rioters stormed the Capitol on January 6, 2021.

 

——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Also Read : ‘A billionaire Donald Trump’: Trump shooter Thomas Matthew Crooks had few friends, say classmates

‘A billionaire Donald Trump’: Trump shooter Thomas Matthew Crooks had few friends, say classmates

Link : ‘A billionaire Donald Trump’: Trump shooter Thomas Matthew Crooks had few friends, say classmates

Following the incident, US President Joe Biden issued a statement stating, “I have directed an independent review of the national security at yesterday’s rally to assess exactly what happened.”

——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

 

But still gives Democrats fodder

Despite his focus on policy when attacking Harris, Trump’s often rambling comments to Musk’s prodding provided Democrats with sound bites that they would undoubtedly exploit against the former president.

Trump restated his intention to try to shut down the Department of Education and allow states to tackle the matter on their own, echoing a suggestion from Project 2025, a Heritage Foundation study that Democrats have actively marketed as a blueprint for Trump if elected.

“Not every state will do great,” Trump stated. “Of the 50, I would bet that 35 would do great.”

Trump argued that opponents “within” the country are more dangerous than Russia and China.

 

 

 

 

He used plenty of name-calling, calling Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D) a “loser,” Harris “incompetent,” and Biden “close to vegetable stage.”

Harris’ campaign account on X boosted Trump’s statements applauding Musk for firing striking Tesla employees.

“I won’t mention the name of the company, but they go on strike, and you say, ‘That’s OK, you’re all gone,'” Mr. Trump added.

Musk seeks to nudge Trump on policy

Musk, who has shown his support for Trump, frequently provided his own prescriptions for specific policy issues or attempted to persuade the former president to agree with his point of view.

Musk stated that his views on climate change were that the country should not “vilify” the oil and gas business, but rather “lean in the direction of sustainability.” Trump has previously stated that he supports “clean air” and “clean water” but has questioned the credibility of climate change.

As the two discussed immigration and the increase of migrants at the southern border, Musk expressed his own views on immigration, which are far softer than Trump’s.

The Tesla entrepreneur, who was born in South Africa, believes that legal immigration is beneficial and that the majority of those who cross the border illegally are likewise nice people, but that a thorough vetting process is required to prevent dangerous individuals from entering.

In contrast, if elected, Trump has threatened to carry out the greatest deportation operation in US history. He has erroneously stated that foreign countries are emptying their prisons and mental institutions and transporting such persons to the southern border, and that some people entering the United States speak languages they have never heard of.

Later in the discussion, Musk repeatedly mentioned the possibility of forming a government commission to investigate the national debt and how Congress may rethink spending.

“I think it would be great to just have a government efficiency commission that looks at these things to make sure taxpayer money is spent in a good way,” Musk told the president. “I’d be happy to help out on such a commission.”

 

Another event on X plagued by tech issues

For many who tuned in to Monday night’s conversation, it was déjà vu, as the start time was delayed by nearly an hour due to technical challenges.

The event was set to begin at 8 p.m. EDT, and Trump released a link to the Spaces where the chat would take place approximately 10 minutes beforehand. However, the event did not officially begin until 8:42 p.m.

Users complained about having difficulty joining the Space, providing screenshots of notifications that read “details not available” or “this space is not available.” Others were able to participate, although they simply heard background music while waiting for Trump and Musk to begin speaking.
Musk attributed the problem to what he called a “massive DDOS,” or denial-of-service attack, on the platform.

“As this massive attack shows, there is a lot of opposition to people simply hearing what President Trump has to say,” Musk told listeners as the talk began.

The technical difficulties were similar of when Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) attempted to use Spaces to begin his 2024 presidential campaign. That was also marred by technological difficulties, as the call went in and out for more than 20 minutes before Musk terminated the original Spaces and sought to launch a new one.

Monday’s troubles may cause other lawmakers to reconsider holding a similar event on X in the future.