Former President Donald Trump and billionaire businessman Elon Musk discussed several key issues for the 2024 election during their highly anticipated X-Debate on Monday.
More than 1.2 million users of Musk’s social media platforms tuned in to watch the interview, which was described as a “conversation” or “chat,” and heard the Republican presidential candidate and the tech titan exchange views on immigration, foreign policy, inflation, government spending and energy issues.
Trump, 78, also repeatedly criticised Ms Harris and Mr Walz’s campaign after Mr Musk, 53, said the X-Space event was “targeting open-minded, independent voters who are trying to make up their minds” with less than three months to go until Election Day.
Border Crisis
The besieged crisis on the southern border was the first major election issue the two men discussed.
“Elon, we’re already overwhelmed,” Trump told Musk, referring to the record-breaking migration surge.
“You saw the news tonight about New York, New York. I love that city. It’s terrible what they’re doing to that city,” the former president and Queens native continued about 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. There’s a lot of really nasty people out there,” Trump said of the more than 8 million migrants who have entered the U.S. under Biden.
Trump also criticized Vice President Kamala Harris, saying she could have closed the U.S.-Mexico border as “border secretary” under the Biden administration.
“she [the border] “He’s not doing anything right now,” Trump said, calling his 2024 presidential opponent “all talk.”
“She’s trying to pretend she’s trying to do something… She’s had three and a half years,” he continued.
“She was border secretary. The public should not be allowed to get away with a disinformation campaign,” Trump told Musk, noting that Harris has recently tried to distance herself from the label of border secretary.
Soaring inflation
During his conversation with Musk, the 45th president also repeatedly slammed the state of the economy under Biden and Harris, focusing on record price increases under his administration.
“If you’re middle-income, you can’t afford it,” he said of how inflation is affecting the average American.
“Four years ago, five years ago, people were saving a lot of money, and now they’re spending it and going into debt to get by,” Trump argued. “It’s horrible what’s happening.
“Inflation was caused by oil,” he said elsewhere in the chat, suggesting prices would have been lower if Russia hadn’t invaded Ukraine, if Hamas hadn’t attacked Israel and if the US hadn’t abandoned Afghanistan.
Disastrous foreign policy
Trump warned that the leaders of North Korea, Russia and China were “trying their best” and argued that Harris was not powerful enough to stand up to them.
“know [Russian President Vladimir] Putin. President Xi Jinping knows. [Jinping]”I know Kim Jong Un,” he said. “They’re in top condition, they’re tough, they’re smart, they’re brutal, and they’re going to defend their country.”
“When they see Kamala, or when they see Sleepy Joe, they’re not even going to believe it,” he speculated.
Trump also spoke about Iran, saying America’s enemies “wouldn’t attack” him if he were president.
Tehran is suspected of planning retaliatory attacks for the recent assassinations of top Hamas and Hezbollah leaders.
“I don’t want to do anything bad to Iran,” the former president declared, “but they knew they shouldn’t get involved. Iran was bankrupt.”
The former president specifically criticized Biden for saying Ukraine could become a NATO member, claiming that Putin would not have intervened in Ukraine without Biden’s comments.
“Biden did something with Russia. There was no chance he would intervene. And then after I left, they started putting up big military presence on the border with Ukraine. And I looked at that and thought Putin was doing it because he’s a good negotiator. I thought he was doing it to negotiate,” he said.
Trump also reaffirmed his support for building an Israeli-style Iron Dome in the United States, arguing it would be sufficient to protect the US from foreign powers.
“We’re going to build the best Iron Dome in the world,” the presidential candidate promised.
“We’re going to be protected.”
Government spending surges
President Trump announced his support for Musk after the Tesla and SpaceX founder proposed putting him on a commission to monitor “excessive government spending.”
“I think it would be great to have a government efficiency commission to make sure taxpayer money is being spent properly,” Musk said.
“And I would be happy to assist with such requests,” he added.
Trump responded that he would be “very pleased” if Musk joined such a committee.
“You’re the best cutter,” the former president told the entrepreneur.
Musk then compared the US to Venezuela when talking about government spending and inflation.
“Far-left madman”
The Republican presidential nominee slammed Harris and Lt. Governor Tim Walz as “radical” progressives and warned voters that the country would be “dangerous” under their leadership.
“She’s considered much more liberal than Bernie Sanders. She’s a far-left lunatic,” he said of his rival.
“And if she becomes president soon, we won’t have a country anymore,” he continued.
“She’s going to go back on everything she believes in. She believes in reducing the police budget. She believes in zero fracking.”
Trump warned that the United States was “becoming a very dangerous place” under Democratic leadership and said things could get worse under Harris, a “hard-left liberal from San Francisco.”
The former president also strongly criticized Walz as a dangerous man.
“[Harris’] “He nominated me for VP, he got confirmed, he signed bills, he put tampons in men’s bathrooms,” Trump said of the Minnesota governor.
“That means she believes it too,” he argued.
Trump called Walz a “radical anti-Israel leftist” and said he was “far worse” than socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).
“If she becomes president… I don’t think our country can survive.”
