Trump Addresses “President Musk” Claims
President-elect Donald Trump dismissed recent claims by some Democrats that tech mogul Elon Musk could be the “real leader” of the Republican Party, emphasizing that Musk will never become president because, quite simply, he was not born in the United States. Speaking at the Turning Point USA “America Fest” event in Phoenix, Arizona, Trump assured the crowd, “No, he’s not gonna be president, that I can tell you. And I’m safe, you know why? He can’t be, he wasn’t born in this country.”
This came after some Democrats, apparently grasping for a figurehead to rally around in the GOP, suggested that Musk’s influence—particularly his vocal opposition to a recent stopgap spending bill—had elevated him to the status of a political leader. In fact, Musk’s criticism of the measure echoed Trump’s own sentiments. The billionaire entrepreneur took to social media, calling the spending bill “outrageous” and urging voters to hold any lawmakers who supported it accountable. “Any lawmaker in the House or Senate who supports for this insane spending bill needs to be voted out next election!” Musk posted on X (formerly Twitter), the platform he owns.
Trump acknowledged Musk’s support during the 2020 election, noting that the tech giant spent significant time in Pennsylvania to help swing the state in favor of Trump. “He went to Pennsylvania, and he stayed — stayed up there for a month, and helped us win that state, which we won by a lot,” Trump said.
In addition, Trump introduced Musk as a key player in his administration’s plans to eliminate wasteful government spending and reduce bureaucratic red tape. Musk, along with entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, will lead the newly-formed “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE), an initiative designed to streamline federal agencies and cut down on unnecessary regulations. Trump referred to DOGE as potentially “The Manhattan Project of our time,” reflecting its ambitious goal to overhaul government operations—something conservatives have long called for.
Ultimately, Trump made it clear that while Musk plays an important role in the conservative movement, the idea of Musk stepping into the Oval Office is nothing more than a fantasy.
