Donald Trump announced that he will have an interview with Elon Musk on Monday. This marks Musk’s latest move to influence the 2024 presidential election.
Trump shared the news on social media, saying, “ON MONDAY NIGHT I’LL BE DOING A MAJOR INTERVIEW WITH ELON MUSK — Details to follow!” Musk, who is one of the world’s richest people, has not yet confirmed the interview.
Musk’s involvement in the election has been noticeable in recent weeks:
- After Trump was shot at a rally in Pennsylvania on June 13, Musk endorsed him on X, the social media platform he owns. This endorsement is unusual for social media heads.
- Less than a week later, Musk shared an AI-edited video of Vice President Kamala Harris on X. The video was altered to make Harris say things she didn’t actually say. Musk later clarified it was a parody.
- In late July, X temporarily suspended an account fundraising for Harris, citing “evading suspension” as the reason.
- Recently, investigations were opened into America PAC, a political action committee supported by Musk, for allegedly misusing personal data from voters in swing states.
While Musk has a massive social media following, experts doubt his ability to significantly sway voters. Cayce Myers from Virginia Tech believes Musk’s main contribution to Trump will be his large platform audience. A well-publicized interview could attract many views and outperform typical media interviews.
The relationship between Trump and Musk has changed over time. In 2022, they exchanged insults, but Trump now seems to have softened his stance on electric vehicles, partly due to Musk’s endorsement.
It remains to be seen how this new partnership will affect Trump’s presidential campaign. Myers thinks the interview will likely be favorable for Trump and that X users might challenge the former president more than Musk will.
Casey Burgat from George Washington University believes Musk’s involvement will generate buzz rather than sway voters, potentially energizing both Trump’s supporters and opponents.