From Cyberattacks to Immigration: The Biggest Takeaways from the Trump-Musk Interview

 

Former President Donald Trump, 78, sat down for a highly anticipated two-hour interview with billionaire tech mogul Elon Musk, 53, on Musk’s social media platform X. Although technical difficulties delayed the start of the conversation, the chat ultimately covered a wide range of topics, from cyberattacks to immigration. Here are the six major takeaways from the event:

1. Technical Difficulties: The DDoS Cyberattack

The interview was initially delayed due to a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack, which flooded X’s servers with excessive traffic, causing significant disruptions. Thousands of users trying to join the conversation were met with error messages, while others were unable to hear the discussion.

Musk attributed the attack to opposition forces aiming to prevent the public from hearing Trump’s views. Despite the setback, Trump turned the situation into a positive, congratulating Musk on the massive turnout, which peaked at 1.3 million listeners.

2. Trump’s Reaction to the Assassination Attempt

One of the most gripping moments of the interview came when Musk brought up the recent assassination attempt on Trump. Musk praised Trump’s response, particularly his defiant gesture of pumping his fists after the attack, calling it “incredibly inspiring.”

Trump recounted the incident in detail, describing how the bullet grazed his ear and the surreal nature of the experience. He reflected on how the event had strengthened his belief in God, a sentiment that resonated with many of his supporters.

3. Trump’s Stance on Immigration: A Promise of Mass Deportations

Immigration was a focal point of the conversation, with Trump reiterating his strong stance on illegal immigration. He claimed that over 20 million people had entered the U.S. illegally, many from prisons and mental institutions around the world.

Trump vowed that if re-elected, his administration would carry out the largest deportation operation in U.S. history. Musk, a legal immigrant himself, supported Trump’s views, emphasizing the need to shut down illegal immigration while maintaining a pathway for legal immigrants.

4. Biden’s Replacement by Kamala Harris: ‘A Coup’

Trump expressed his outrage over Vice President Kamala Harris’s replacement of Joe Biden as the Democratic presidential candidate. He described the situation as “a coup” and criticized Harris’s qualifications, referring to her as “a radical left lunatic” and “not a smart woman.”

According to Trump, he had been leading Biden in key battleground states before Harris was announced as the new candidate. However, recent polls suggest that Harris now has an edge over Trump in several critical states, a development that has further fueled Trump’s frustration.

Musk also voiced his concerns about a potential Harris presidency, warning that a Harris administration would be a “massive trouble” for the country.

5. The Inflation Crisis: Trump’s Critique of the Current Administration

During the interview, Trump took aim at the current administration’s handling of inflation, which he claimed is the worst the country has seen in 100 years. While official figures suggest inflation is at a 48-year high, Trump insisted that the situation is even more dire.

Musk suggested the creation of a government efficiency commission to address the issue, an idea that Trump welcomed. The conversation highlighted Musk’s ability to streamline operations, a skill he demonstrated through mass layoffs at Tesla.

6. Trump’s Praise for Argentina’s President and a Joke About Venezuela

Trump expressed his admiration for Argentina’s President Javier Milei, praising his austerity measures, including significant cuts to public sector jobs and pensions. Despite Argentina’s ongoing economic struggles, Trump commended Milei’s efforts to restore fiscal discipline.

In a lighter moment, Trump joked that if the upcoming U.S. election doesn’t go his way, he might consider relocating to Venezuela. He suggested that Venezuela might be a safer place for a future meeting with Musk than the U.S., adding a touch of humor to the otherwise serious conversation.