Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk is set to interview Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump on the X social media network on Tuesday, 5.30 am IST, in what could be a pivotal moment in the turbulent US presidential race. With the November 5th election approaching, Trump’s Democratic rival, Vice President Kamala Harris, has managed to erode his lead in opinion polls, galvanizing Democratic voters with her energetic rallies.
The interview on Musk’s platform, formerly known as Twitter, could give Trump a chance to reach beyond his core supporters who typically attend his rallies and watch his appearances on conservative outlets like Fox News.
However, the event carries some risks. Previous high-profile discussions on X have been marred by technical difficulties. Aware of these challenges, Musk announced on the platform, “Am going to do some system scaling tests tonight & tomorrow in advance of the conversation.” The interview will be broadcast live on Trump’s official X account, @realDonaldTrump, which was restored a month into Musk’s ownership of the platform after being suspended following the January 6, 2021, attack on Congress.
Since his return to X, Trump has posted only once, in August 2023, when he appealed for donations while sharing his Fulton County jail mug shot. Despite his frequent activity on his own social media platform, Truth Social, this upcoming interview on X could draw significant attention.
Musk, who is an unconventional interviewer, initially supported Democratic President Joe Biden in the 2020 election but has since shifted rightward, even endorsing Trump following an attempted assassination attempt on the former president in July. Musk’s endorsement marked a turning point in Trump’s stance on electric vehicles, a sector Trump had previously criticized. “I’m for electric cars. I have to be, because Elon endorsed me very strongly. So I have no choice,” Trump declared at an early August rally.
The interview comes as Musk, who leads Tesla Inc., faces scrutiny for his political fundraising activities, with a Michigan investigation probing potential violations of state laws related to voter data collection. Meanwhile, United Auto Workers President Shawn Fein, campaigning for Harris, has labeled Trump a “sellout” for his newfound support of electric vehicles, highlighting the Biden administration’s push to promote them as part of its climate change agenda.
