Elon Musk promised entertainment with an interview with GOP nominee Donald Trump on his social media platform X, but technical difficulties overshadowed the event. Musk had planned to host Trump for the interview at 8 p.m., but the site experienced a massive DDOS attack, causing many users to be unable to listen to the interview. The interview started about 45 minutes late, echoing similar technical issues that occurred during a previous X live event with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Despite Musk’s efforts to do system scaling tests in advance, X users experienced various issues during the interview with Trump. Some users were able to enter the livestream portal, but encountered background music playing continuously. Many others were unable to access the interview at all, receiving either a gray-toned webpage or an unavailable notification on the mobile app. Trump’s campaign spokesperson claimed that the GOP nominee and Musk were “breaking the internet.”
The interview with Trump was intended to be the third in a series with 2024 presidential candidates who have caught Musk’s interest. However, Musk has now pledged to fully support and give X feed real estate to Trump’s campaign. With Musk’s vast personal fortune and influential online following, he has the potential to significantly boost Trump’s reelection chances. Despite the technical difficulties during the interview, Musk’s support could play a crucial role in mobilizing voters for Trump’s campaign.
The glitchy performance of X during the interview with Trump led to criticisms and comparisons to the previous interview with DeSantis, which also experienced technical issues. Conservative commentator Erick Erickson pointed out the irony of Trump supporters ridiculing DeSantis for the same problems that occurred during Trump’s interview with Musk. Despite Musk’s attempts to address the technical issues in advance, the platform still crashed during the interview, leading to frustration among users.
While Musk’s decision to support Trump’s campaign may come as a surprise to some, it aligns with his previous interactions and interviews with the GOP nominee. Musk has shown interest in engaging with presidential candidates and using his platform to amplify their messages. By offering his support to Trump’s campaign, Musk has the potential to significantly impact the upcoming election. Despite the technical difficulties during the interview, Musk’s endorsement could have a lasting impact on Trump’s campaign and his chances for reelection.
Although the interview with Trump on X was marred by technical difficulties, Musk’s continued support for the GOP nominee signals a new phase in their relationship. Musk’s platform has the potential to reach a wide audience and mobilize voters in support of Trump’s campaign. While the glitches during the interview may have caused frustration for some users, Musk’s influence and resources could prove to be a valuable asset for Trump as he continues his bid for reelection in 2024.
