Trump addresses claims of Musk's growing political influence in US
Photo: Donald Trump and Elon Musk (collage by RBC-Ukraine)
US President-elect Donald Trump responded to criticism from Democrats regarding the growing political influence of billionaire Elon Musk on him. The incoming head of state assured that the businessman would not become the head of the White House, reports NBC News.
Trump made the statement during a speech at the Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest conference in Phoenix on December 22.
Why Musk's "presidency" is being discussed in the US
The new president's reaction to the influence of his ally Musk came after the businessman helped him block a bipartisan bill proposed by Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson, which aimed to fund the government.
Last week, the tense standoff in Washington nearly led to a shutdown of the US government. Ultimately, legislators in the US found an acceptable alternative and managed to avoid a shutdown.
Musk, who owns the popular social media platform X (formerly Twitter), wrote over 100 posts opposing the initial spending deal. This was seen as Musk using his media influence to shape policy in the US during Trump's second term.
Following this, Democratic Party representatives began referring to the billionaire as "President Musk" in criticism.
Trump says Musk will not become US president
Trump told conservative activists at the event that he had not "ceded the presidency" to the billionaire. He called such suggestions a fabrication.
According to Trump, even if Musk wanted to assume the presidency, he could not do so due to the Constitution's requirement that a US president must be a natural-born citizen of the country.
However, Musk was born in South Africa and became a US citizen in 2002.
"No, he’s not going to be president, that I can tell you. And I’m safe. Do you know why he can’t be? He wasn’t born in this country," Trump emphasized.
Questions about Musk's influence on Trump and politics
According to Western analysts, Trump's remarks suggest that he does not want to sever ties with Musk, as both currently share common interests.
American media outlets reminded that Musk had spent over $250 million supporting Trump's presidential campaign to help him secure victory.
Recently, Donald Trump's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., claimed that the press was trying to rupture his father's relationship with Elon and create a rift between them.
It was previously reported that Trump nominated Musk to lead a new non-governmental office to reduce government spending and cut inefficiencies.
US Senator Elizabeth Warren called on Trump to address Musk's influence in December.
Also, in mid-November, it was reported that Democratic senators had urged an investigation into Musk's calls to Russia.
In addition, CNN reported in November that Musk had a significant influence on appointments within Trump's team.
