Elon Musk will interview Donald Trump live on X (formerly Twitter) tonight, August 12, 2024, at 5 PM PT/8 PM ET. The event will be unscripted and wide-ranging; in many ways, this will mean an unpredictable discussion between these two highly influential people.
The discussion topics
While specific topics haven’t been shared, Musk has hinted at a very broad purview and said nothing is taboo. The format will probably span Trump’s opinions on current political matters and his strategies concerning the upcoming presidential election, in addition to perhaps Musk’s own takes on technology and society and a possible talk on cars and immigration with Trump.
System scaling tests
“With an interview like this, so much is expected,” Musk announced and stated that testing and scaling of the systems on X will be done to ensure smooth performance in view of an expected overflow in traffic on the platform in such an event to prevent technical difficulties during the interview.
The interview: A game-changer?
Well, the interview could just be what places Trump over the top, as his campaign has been lagging since Kamala Harris stepped up as the Democratic Party candidate to date. With Musk’s endorsement, Trump would appeal to a different audience and probably help in picking up some momentum in the polls.
An interview on Musk’s social media platform would give Trump the chance to reach other audiences beyond his conservative faithful who come to his campaign rallies and watch his interviews with Fox News. However, similar happenings on the platform have been handcuffed by technical issues.
Musk’s unpredictable interview style
Well, this isn’t any different, exactly, if one was to expect it from a very unpredictable Musk. For being the richest man alive puts Musk in a special category of influencer, and his following is huge. Hence, his stepping out in public as a Trump endorser seems a bit surprising.
Where to watch
You will have to log in to your X account and follow the official account of Trump @realDonaldTrump to view this interview. The time of the interview is 8 p.m. Eastern Time and 5 p.m. Pacific Time. As mentioned above, the interview will be live-streamed on X, which all users can view.
Anticipation and buzz
The upcoming interview has garnered massive attention on social media, as evidenced by numerous users who say they can’t wait for what Musk termed “entertainment guaranteed.” The event is expected to be of immense significance since it comes as a pointer to the role Musk is playing in the political scene, especially after he allowed Trump’s account on X again after its suspension. Former President Trump, who had been a vehement critic of electric cars, changed his tone after Musk’s endorsement.
“I’m for electric cars. I have to be, because Elon endorsed me very strongly. So I have no choice,” Trump said at an earlier August rally. The Biden-Harris administration has worked to popularize electric vehicles via tax breaks and other support programs as part of its widespread goal of reducing carbon and greenhouse gas emissions blamed for climate change. Congressional Republicans have blocked those subsidies. Senator J.D. Vance, Trump’s vice presidential running mate, said he believes the Biden policy subsidies for rich people who buy the cars.
With the election of 2024 rapidly approaching, this interview may prove instrumental in driving the public discourse and, more importantly, the Trump campaign narrative.
