Former President Donald Trump and billionaire X owner Elon Musk engaged in a conversation Monday night that was heavy on personality but light on news. The interview, which lasted two hours, suffered from significant technical delays, starting approximately 40 minutes late. Musk attributed the delay to a cyberattack but provided no evidence to support this claim, as the rest of the website appeared to operate normally.
The conversation between Trump and Musk covered familiar territory. Trump reiterated his usual talking points, criticizing undocumented immigrants, touting his relationships with leaders like Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin, and insulting his political opponents, particularly President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. Musk echoed many of Trump’s sentiments, inserting his views on inflation and air quality.
The interview attracted substantial interest despite the technical hiccups, peaking at 1.3 million listeners according to X’s metrics. Musk acknowledged the interview’s lack of challenging questions, stating, “No one is really themselves in an adversarial interview. It’s hard to catch a vibe about someone if you don’t hear them talk in just a normal way.”
This interview was Trump’s most notable reappearance on X since Musk reinstated his account following the latter’s acquisition of the platform in late 2022.
Trump and Musk’s light conversation
Donald Trump had been banned from Twitter after the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot, with the former president’s posts being cited for glorifying violence. Since his reinstatement, Trump has largely been active on his own social network, Truth Social.
Musk’s shift toward openly supporting Trump marks a notable departure from X’s (formerly Twitter) previous stance of attempting political neutrality. Before Musk’s takeover, the platform’s executives strived, albeit imperfectly, to maintain a non-ideological stance. Musk has reset these norms, frequently promoting right-wing commentators and viewpoints on X. Some experts argue that this approach is risky for someone running a central social media platform.
“His activity is intended to appeal to particular demographics and people who share his viewpoint. It may do that, but it certainly alienates other people,” said Sarah T. Roberts, the director of UCLA’s Center for Critical Internet Inquiry.
“And so that’s a big gamble for someone trying to make a popular product.”
While lacking in substantial news, the interview highlighted the evolving dynamics between politics and social media under Musk’s leadership. His open advocacy for Trump and use of X as a platform for political discourse reflect a significant shift in the platform’s role during a heated presidential election cycle.
