But otherwise, the event in some ways resembled an online Trump rally with Musk, the world’s richest man, playing the role of moderator.
Hadriana Lowenkron, Stephanie Lai and Dana Hull | (TNS) Bloomberg News
Donald Trump and Elon Musk held a warm but glitch-delayed conversation on X that saw the tech mogul pitch a role for himself should the Republican nominee win a second White House term.
The highly anticipated discussion started roughly 40 minutes late, stretched more than two hours and largely rehashed the notes that the former president routinely strikes at his campaign rallies.
The pushed-back start was an embarrassing blow to Musk’s social-media site and the latest hiccup for Trump, whose campaign has struggled to douse a burst of momentum from Vice President Kamala Harris in the weeks since she replaced President Joe Biden as the Democratic presidential nominee.
The billionaire entrepreneur blamed the delay on a cyberattack, without providing any evidence, and when the event started, Musk suggested Trump’s opponents were responsible.
Trump sought to spin the delay as a sign of interest in the event. As many as 1.3 million listeners tuned in, according to X.
Musk called for a government commission to ensure that taxpayer money is spent effectively and pitched himself for a role in that effort.
“I’d be happy to help out on such a commission,” Musk said. “I’d love if it were formed.”
Trump praised the idea, calling Musk “the greatest cutter.”
But otherwise, the event in some ways resembled an online Trump rally with Musk, the world’s richest man, playing the role of moderator.
The conversation came days after Trump held a more than one-hour press conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort. One of his campaign strategies is to try and goad Harris into doing more unscripted media appearances.
Musk endorsed Trump for president last month, part of a shift that has seen the Tesla Inc. and SpaceX chief executive officer publicly embrace right-leaning causes and candidates to make his mark on the political scene. He also created a super political action committee to support Trump’s reelection effort.
An already formidable Washington presence, with companies boasting sizable government contracts, Musk is poised to be an even bigger player if Trump returns to power.
