Tech billionaire Elon Musk will interview former President Donald Trump on Monday night on his platform X, formerly known as Twitter, marking Trump's highly anticipated return to the social media network three years after his ban.
The interview was announced and confirmed by both Trump and Musk on their respective platforms, with Trump sharing the news on Truth Social and Musk on X.
The former president wrote, "ON MONDAY NIGHT I'LL BE DOING A MAJOR INTERVIEW WITH ELON MUSK — Details to follow!"
The Tesla CEO also posted a reminder of the event on X: "Live conversation on X with @realDonaldTrump & me at 8pm ET tomorrow."
He added in the comments below: "This is unscripted with no limits on subject matter, so should be highly entertaining! If you have specific questions & comments, post them under the chat."
The announcement has ignited a lot of chatter on X with some saying the interview will be "epic" and others saying it could "break the internet."
Here's what you need to know about the interview:
When Is Elon Musk Interviewing Donald Trump?
The billionaire entrepreneur and former president have scheduled the live conservation for Monday evening at 8 p.m. Eastern Time.
The interview will be broadcast live on X Spaces, and Musk has been carrying out stress tests ahead of the sitdown by posting streaming tests on his X account, in anticipation of high traffic.
X Spaces is a platform allowing anyone to join live audio conservations on X. There are also quick links to use for joining via the web.
This marks Trump's first live appearance on the platform since his ban in early 2021, when it was still called Twitter, following the January 6 riot at the Capitol. His account was reinstated in November 2022 after Musk took ownership of the platform.
Why Was Trump Kicked Off Twitter?
Donald Trump was permanently banned from Twitter two days after January 6. Twitter banned him due to concerns that his tweets could incite more violence.
The company reviewed his tweets in light of the attack on the Capitol by his supporters. Trump was accused of spreading false claims of voter fraud, which led to the violent protest aimed at blocking Joe Biden's Electoral College victory in 2020.
Trump denies any wrongdoing, accusing prosecutors of targeting him for political reasons. After the ban, he launched his own platform, Truth Social, where he continues to share his views, even after regaining access to his Twitter account and its 88.1 million followers.
What Key Topics Will Be Covered?
Neither Trump nor Musk have provided specific details about the interview, which Musk described as a "live conversation" that will be "unscripted with no limits on subject matter."
The Trump campaign, meanwhile, has dubbed it "the interview of the century" without offering details on the topics to be discussed. Musk plans to encourage users to post specific questions and comments in the stream's chat during the event.
What Has Musk and Trump's Relationship Been Like in 2024?
The interview comes after Musk publicly endorsed Trump in the immediate aftermath of the failed assassination attempt that left the former president with a wounded ear at a Pennsylvania rally on July 13.
He wrote on X on the same day, "I fully endorse President Trump and hope for his rapid recovery."
Since the endorsement, Trump said in a rally in Atlanta on August 3, "I'm for electric cars, I have to be because Elon endorsed me very strongly," according to The Guardian. He reportedly added that he had "no choice" in the matter.
That was a reversal of his usual opposition of EVs. As recently as July 31, Trump told the National Association of Black Journalists conference in Chicago: "Elon Musk endorsed me and he is a friend of mine, ... but I am against everybody having an electric car," Reuters reported.
Despite speculation that Musk would donate around $45 million a month to a pro-Trump political action committee, as reported by the Wall Street Journal, he posted on X, "Just to be super clear, I am not donating money to either candidate for US President."
Have Trump And Musk Always Been Close?
Not exactly. In 2016, Musk was initially skeptical about Donald Trump's candidacy during the presidential election. However, after Trump's victory, Musk joined Trump's economic advisory councils, marking the start of their formal relationship.
Their relationship first became strained in June 2017, when Musk left Trump's advisory councils following the U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement, a decision Musk strongly opposed due to his commitment to addressing climate change, namely as the chief of a major EV manufacturer.
Then during the COVID-19 pandemic, Musk and Trump began to publicly align more closely on economic policies, particularly around the reopening of businesses. Musk praised Trump's approach and kept his Tesla factory open despite local shutdown orders, receiving support from Trump.
What Place Does Cryptocurrency Have In The Discussion?
Alongside his change in tune on EVs, Trump's view on cryptocurrency has also shifted. Where he once called it a "scam" in 2021, according to the BBC, the Republican party now allows for donations to be made in crypto, in an effort to build what it calls a "crypto army" leading up to the election. According to Crypto News Flash, Trump's party has raised over $4 million in crypto funds since it started accepting crypto donations.
Trump's son, Donald Jr., also said on X on August 7, "We're about to shake up the crypto world with something HUGE. Decentralized finance is the future—don't get left behind. #Crypto #DeFi #BeDeFiant."
Trump Jr. wrote on X the following day, "I love how much the crypto community is embracing Trump. It's absolutely incredible, but beware of fake tokens claiming to be part of the Trump project. The only official project will be announced directly by us, and it will be fair for everyone. Don't be fooled—stay tuned for the real deal."
Musk is a prominent figure in the world of crypto, and is known for his interest and support of digital currencies like Bitcoin and Dogecoin. Tesla remains one of the largest corporate holders of bitcoin, according to Forbes.
The two announcements — of the interview and a Trump administration cryptocurrency update — has caused a stir in the industry, and Forbes reported that bitcoin has "braced" for the meeting of Musk and Trump Monday evening.
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About the writer
Jasmine Laws is a Live News Reporter at Newsweek based in London, U.K. Her focus is reporting on U.S. politics, ... Read more
