Five things to remember from the Trump-Musk discussion on X

Former President Donald Trump engaged in a conversation on Monday with Tesla founder Elon Musk on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter and now owned by Musk. This marked Trump's most notable return to the platform since his reinstatement in 2023.

The discussion, which lasted around two hours, was delayed due to technical difficulties that initially prevented many users from joining. The two leaders covered a wide range of topics, including an assassination attempt on Trump, his stance on immigration and the economy, and the future of energy production. Musk has publicly endorsed Trump for the 2024 presidential race.

Here are five key takeaways from their conversation:

Trump's Return to X:

Monday marked Trump’s significant return to X, where he previously built much of his political influence. He not only engaged with Musk on Spaces but also made multiple posts on the platform before the interview, suggesting he may use X more frequently during his campaign to reclaim the White House. The Space had over 1 million listeners at its peak. Trump's account was initially suspended following the January 6, 2021, Capitol riots but was reinstated after Musk acquired the platform. Prior to this conversation, Trump had only posted once, sharing his mugshot from a Georgia criminal indictment in August.

Trump Avoids Major Missteps:

Throughout the conversation, Trump focused on key issues like inflation, avoiding the inflammatory remarks that have caused controversy in his recent public appearances. He criticized Vice President Kamala Harris and President Joe Biden, labeling them as “incompetent,” but steered clear of the controversial comments that have previously overshadowed his events. Trump also attacked Harris for her stance on issues like fracking and defunding the police, claiming she would revert to more liberal positions if elected.

But Still Provides Ammunition for Democrats:

Despite focusing on policy, Trump’s rambling responses still offered Democrats sound bites to use against him. He reiterated his desire to eliminate the Department of Education and allow states to manage education independently, echoing a proposal from Project 2025, a document supported by the Heritage Foundation. He also made derogatory remarks about various political figures, including Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and Biden, claiming the latter is “close to vegetable stage.” Harris’s campaign highlighted Trump’s comments praising Musk for firing striking Tesla workers.

Musk Attempts to Influence Trump on Policy:

Musk, who supports Trump, often shared his views on various issues, trying to guide Trump toward his perspectives. Musk emphasized the importance of sustainability in addressing climate change and shared his softer stance on immigration compared to Trump’s hardline approach. Musk also suggested forming a government commission to study national debt and government spending, offering to assist with such an initiative.

Technical Issues Plague the Event:

The conversation was delayed by nearly an hour due to technical difficulties, reminiscent of similar issues during Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’s presidential campaign launch on Spaces. Many users experienced problems joining the Space, with some only hearing filler music while waiting for the discussion to begin. Musk attributed the delays to a massive denial-of-service attack on the platform. The recurring technical issues may deter other politicians from using X for similar events in the future.

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