President-elect Donald Trump dismissed allegations that Elon Musk holds excessive sway over his administration after the tech mogul played a key role in blocking a Congressional budget bill last week.
Speaking at the Turning Point USA’s annual AmericaFest event on Sunday in Phoenix, Arizona, Trump refuted claims that he had “ceded the presidency” to Musk, describing them as a “hoax” propagated by his political adversaries.
“No, he’s not going to be president,” Trump told the cheering crowd. “You know why he can’t be? He wasn’t born in this country.”
Musk, the South African-born CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, is constitutionally barred from holding the presidency.
His involvement in the budget negotiations, alongside Trump, disrupted an emergency spending measure, forcing Congress to scramble for an alternative just hours before a government shutdown.
While Musk’s growing influence has drawn criticism from both Democrats and some Republicans, Trump underscored their shared objectives. He highlighted Musk’s recent appointment as head of the proposed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a non-governmental presidential advisory commission focused on cutting federal spending.
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‘Golden age of America is here’
Speculation about tensions between Trump and Musk has been fueled by Musk’s high-profile actions, which have earned him the nickname “President Musk” among critics.
Donald Trump Jr., however, dismissed rumors of discord, stating that “the media is trying to create division to stop these two from achieving their goals.”
Despite the controversy, Trump’s address carried an optimistic tone.
Amid chants of “Trump! Trump! Trump!” and bursts of pyrotechnics, he proclaimed, “The golden age of America is here.” He reiterated his commitment to addressing key foreign and domestic challenges, including resolving the Russia-Ukraine conflict and reducing excessive Panama Canal usage fees.
