Trump hammers ‘defective’ Democrats on border, inflation and foreign policy in wide-ranging interview with Elon Musk
Former President Donald Trump and billionaire business tycoon Elon Musk chewed over several key 2024 election issues during their much-anticipated X discussion on Monday.
More than 1.2 million users of Musk’s social media platform tuned in to the interview — billed as a “conversation” or a “chat” — and heard the Republican nominee for president and the tech titan put their heads together on immigration, foreign policy, inflation, government spending and energy issues.
Trump, 78, also lobbed several barbs at the Harris-Walz ticket after Musk, 53, noted that the X Spaces event was “aimed at open-minded, independent voters just trying to make up their mind” with less than three months to go before Election Day.
Border crisis
The crisis at the besieged southern border was the first major election issue the pair discussed.
“We’re already overwhelmed, Elon,” Trump told Musk, referring to the record-breaking migrant surge.
“You had to see the news tonight about New York, New York, and I love that place, and what they’re doing to it is horrible,” the former president and Queens native continued of his hometown.
“They’re coming from Africa. They’re coming from Asia. They’re coming from the Middle East. They’re coming from South America. They’re coming from everywhere, and there are a lot of really bad ones,” Trump said of the more than 8 million migrants who have entered the country under President Biden.
Trump pinned the blame on Vice President Kamala Harris, charging that as “border czar” under Biden, she could’ve closed the US-Mexico border.
“She could close [the border] up right now,” Trump said, calling his 2024 opponent “all talk.”
“She tries to pretend she’s going to do something … she’s had three and a half years,” he continued.
“She was the border czar, and people can’t allow them to get away with their disinformation campaign,” Trump insisted to Musk, referring to Harris’ recent attempts to distance herself from the border czar label.
Skyrocketing inflation
The 45th president also decried the state of the economy under Biden and Harris at several points during his talk with Musk, focusing on the record price increases under the administration.
“If you’re just a middle-income person, you can’t afford it,” he said of the toll of inflation on average Americans.
“You know, four years ago, five years ago, people were saving a lot of money. Today, they’re using all that money and borrowing money just to live,” Trump argued. “It’s a horrible thing that is happening.
“Inflation was caused by oil,” he said at another point in the chat, suggesting that had Russia not invaded Ukraine, Hamas not attacked Israel, and had the US not abandoned Afghanistan, prices would be lower.
Disastrous foreign policy
Trump warned that the leaders of North Korea, Russia and China are “at the top of their game” and argued that Harris isn’t up to snuff to counter them.
“I know [Russian President Vladimir] Putin. I know President Xi [Jinping]. I know Kim Jong Un,” he said. “They’re at the top of their game; they’re tough; they’re smart; they’re vicious — and they’re going to protect their country.
“When they see a Kamala, or when they see a sleepy Joe, they can’t even believe it,” he speculated.
He also addressed Iran, saying that the US adversary “would not be attacking” if he were president.
Tehran is suspected of planning a retaliatory attack for the recent assassinations of top leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah.
“I don’t want to do anything bad to Iran,” the former president declared. “But they knew not to mess around. Iran was broke.”
The former president specifically criticized Biden for saying Ukraine may become a NATO country and claimed that Putin would not have gone into Ukraine without Biden’s rhetoric.
“You know, Biden did something with Russia. There was no chance of him ever going in. And when I left, and then, then after I left, they started forming big armies on their, on the border with Ukraine, right? And I looked at that, and I thought he was doing that because Putin’s a good negotiator. I thought he was doing that to negotiate,” he said.
Trump also reaffirmed his support for an Israel-style Iron Dome in the US, arguing that it could sufficiently defend the country from foreign actors.
“We’re going to have the best Iron Dome in the world,” the presidential candidate promised.
“We’re going to have protection.”
Spiraling government spending
Trump expressed his support for having Musk serve on a commission that would monitor “government overspending” after the Tesla and SpaceX founder floated the idea.
“I think it would be great to just have a government efficiency commission that ensures that the taxpayer money is spent in a good way,” Musk said.
“And I’d be happy to help out on such a commission,” he added.
Trump responded that he would “love it” if Musk were to serve on such a panel.
“You’re the greatest cutter,” the former president told the entrepreneur.
Musk later compared the US to Venezuela when talking about government spending and inflation.
‘Radical left lunatics’
The Republican presidential hopeful blasted Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, as “radical” progressives — warning voters that the country would be “dangerous” under their leadership.
“She is considered more liberal by far than Bernie Sanders. She’s a radical left lunatic,” he said of his rival.
“And if she’s going to be our president, very quickly, you’re not going to have a country anymore,” he continued.
“She’ll go back to all the things that she believes in. She believes in defunding the police. She believes in no fracking, zero.”
Trump warned that the US is “becoming a very dangerous place” under Democratic leadership — and could spiral under Harris, who “is a radical-left San Francisco liberal.”
The former president also ripped Walz as dangerous.
“[Harris’] running mate approved, signed into legislation, tampons in boys’ bathrooms,” Trump said of the Minnesota governor.
“That means she believes in that, too,” he argued.
Trump referred to Walz as “an anti-Israel, radical-left person” who is also “far worse” than socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).
“If we have her as a president … I don’t think our country can survive.”
