Musk tries to help Trump halt the Harris surge

August 13, 2024

By M Subhan Shami

CNN — The wealthiest individual on the planet and a figure who might regain significant influence concurred on nearly all matters.

On Monday evening, tech mogul Elon Musk extended an unrestricted platform on his X network to Donald Trump, allowing him to spread misinformation, conspiracy theories, and extreme views without any fact-checking. This move appears to be aimed at countering the ascent of Democratic contender Kamala Harris.

This conversation adds another remarkable development to a presidential campaign that has recently been marked by unexpected events, including an attempt on Trump’s life and President Joe Biden’s decision to withdraw from the reelection race.

The former president has been struggling to keep up with the strong start of the new Democratic nominee. During their lengthy discussion, Musk appeared to leverage his influential position to guide Trump on how to better counter Harris's arguments.

At one point, Trump criticized Harris, labeling her as a radical leftist and lamenting that she had quickly eroded his polling lead within just three weeks. The former president, who attempted to challenge the results of the election he lost, unfoundedly accused Biden of being illegally removed to make room for Harris. “She hasn’t given an interview since this whole debacle began,” Trump asserted angrily. “This was a coup—a coup against the presidency of the United States.”

Musk echoed Trump's view that Harris is a radical leftist and complimented Trump by suggesting his strength compared to the perceived weakness of his Democratic rivals. He questioned America's enemies' respect for the president, stating, “Do they fear the American president, or is it someone they do not respect and do not fear? Let’s review the assassination footage. It’s clear: President Trump is someone you don’t want to mess with.”

Musk has openly supported Trump and made it clear on Monday night that he hopes Trump secures a second term. He told Trump, “You represent the path to prosperity, whereas Kamala is the opposite.”

With substantial business interests reliant on favorable treatment from the next administration, Musk gave Trump a platform with at least 1.3 million live listeners at a critical moment in his campaign. He estimated that the content would reach at least 100 million people in the days ahead.

Both Trump and Musk stood to benefit greatly

During the event, there were moments when Trump, who had spent months criticizing Biden for his age, stuttering, and occasional difficulty in completing sentences, seemed to be lisping or slurring his words. It was unclear whether this was due to an audio issue. When asked for clarification, Trump’s campaign spokesman, Steven Cheung, responded, "It must be your hearing."

The friendly exchange between the businessman and the former president highlighted what each stood to gain.

Musk aimed to communicate his perspectives on immigration, the economy, reducing government regulation, and tax cuts to a potential future president known for his transactional approach to leadership. Given that Musk's enterprises, such as SpaceX and Tesla, could be affected by changes in government policy, the discussion was filled with potential conflicts of interest. Most Americans would never have such an opportunity to influence a future president.

At one point, Musk even proposed taking a role in the US government, possibly on an efficiency commission to streamline the administrative state. Trump expressed enthusiasm for this idea, praising Musk as a significant “cutter.”

Trump significantly benefited from investing over two hours of his time. Musk didn't contest any of Trump's falsehoods or distortions, such as his claim that 60 million undocumented immigrants would overrun the U.S. if he lost in November.

During their conversation, Musk minimized the risks of global warming while defending his electric vehicle ventures. Trump, on the other hand, highlighted the dangers of "nuclear warming," which he claimed was a more pressing threat than "global warming." It wasn't clear if he was referring to nuclear power, which Musk argued was "less frightening than people believe."

This interaction highlights how presidential politics have evolved with the rise of social media and the decline of traditional journalism. Trump's presidency might not have happened without Twitter, as his rise to political prominence in 2016 coincided with the platform's peak. His adept use of this new medium made that year's election a notable blend of a politician and the right moment.

Eight years later, under Musk's leadership, X (formerly Twitter), which champions unrestricted free speech, has removed many barriers against the spread of misinformation and conspiracy theories. This makes it an ideal platform for the former president to bypass traditional media and propagate his alternative reality, which resonates strongly with his supporters.

Republicans are expressing dissatisfaction with what they perceive as overly favorable media coverage of Harris's potential presidential run. However, few candidates have received an easier treatment than the Republican nominee did on X Monday night.

Reflecting the global political concerns prompted by X's developments, European Commissioner Thierry Breton reached out to Musk, urging him to curb the “amplification of harmful content” accessible to users within the European Union.

Cheung responded on X, suggesting that the EU should focus on its own affairs rather than interfering in the US Presidential election. This exchange hinted at worsening tensions between the Trump team, Musk, and Europe.

Following years of steering clear of Twitter and X, Trump has expressed enthusiastic admiration for Musk

On Monday night, Trump unleashed a torrent of inaccuracies and exaggerations, ranging from the number of migrants crossing the border and the inflation crisis—which has since abated—to his ongoing legal issues, the current administration’s energy policies, and his usual assertion that foreign nations are sending their prisoners across the southern U.S. border.

Despite these falsehoods, many of Trump’s supporters are likely to resonate with his statements, reinforcing his political relevance even as Harris reshapes the race.

At times, Trump presented a more coherent and focused argument for a second term than he has recently, during a period when he appeared unsettled by the shifting dynamics of a race he once believed he was well-positioned to win against Biden. Alongside Musk, Trump criticized the current administration’s spending policies, claiming they have exacerbated the inflation that has affected many Americans.

However, Trump’s frequent diversions and endorsement of conspiracy theories highlighted why many voters find him off-putting and raised concerns about his appeal to suburban and female voters in key battleground states.

Initially, the event seemed poised to exemplify Trump’s typical missteps, as it was marred by technical difficulties. Musk suggested that a distributed denial-of-service attack might have caused the issues, although there was no immediate confirmation of such interference. “There is significant opposition to people simply hearing what President Trump has to say,” Musk remarked.

The Harris campaign quickly countered by sharing a post from Trump’s Truth Social account, where he criticized Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for his shaky start in the primary race, including a problematic Twitter Spaces event with Elon Musk.

This event marked Trump's reappearance on X (formerly Twitter), where he had been banned by the previous management following the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol. His account was reinstated by Musk.

Listeners who tuned into the full two-hour discussion gained more insight into Musk’s shifting political perspectives and his increasing readiness to leverage his influence and resources to voice them, rather than learning anything new about Trump. Nevertheless, Trump expressed profound gratitude for Musk’s support during this politically challenging period.

“You’re an incredible person, and you’ve achieved remarkable things. You are a true inspiration to many,” Trump said as he concluded the conversation.