Technical Difficulties Derail Much-Anticipated Interview
Elon Musk promised an electrifying interview with former President Donald Trump, but what was billed as a groundbreaking discussion on X, formerly known as Twitter Spaces, quickly devolved into a technical fiasco. Scheduled to begin at 8 p.m., the interview faced significant disruptions, frustrating viewers and sparking widespread criticism.
Musk’s highly anticipated session with the GOP nominee was marred by the same issues that plagued a previous X Live event with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. As the clock ticked past the start time, many users were left unable to access the livestream. Musk later revealed that the platform was experiencing a massive Distributed Denial of Service (DDOS) attack, which he claimed was the root cause of the issues.
Streaming Woes: A Recurrent Issue for X
The interview, which was delayed by approximately 45 minutes, faced similar technical hurdles to those encountered during DeSantis’s campaign launch on X. As users attempted to tune in, many were greeted with a gray-toned webpage or an error message on their mobile apps. Some users reported that the livestream portal was stuck on background music, further exacerbating the frustration.
Conservative commentator Erick Erickson highlighted the irony of the situation, noting that Trump supporters who had criticized DeSantis’s failed livestream were now facing similar issues. The technical problems continued despite Musk’s earlier promises to conduct system scaling tests to prevent such glitches.
The Interview: Controversial Topics and Heated Exchanges
When the interview finally began, it attracted around one million viewers, eager to hear Trump’s views on a range of topics. The conversation quickly shifted to the assassination attempt Trump survived, before moving to sharp criticisms of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
During the unstructured and often rambling interview, Trump and Musk found common ground on several issues. They discussed immigration, inflation, and crime, with Musk frequently agreeing with Trump’s stances. The former president also weighed in on ongoing foreign conflicts, asserting that the Russia-Ukraine war would not have occurred under his administration.
Trump’s criticisms extended to Harris, who recently proposed eliminating taxes on tips — a suggestion Trump had made earlier in his own rally. Trump accused Harris of being ineffectual as the border czar and criticized her role in the current administration’s policies.
Musk and Trump: A Controversial Alliance
Throughout the interview, Trump praised Musk for his business practices, particularly his handling of labor strikes. Trump lauded Musk’s approach of swiftly dismissing striking workers, reflecting his admiration for the tech mogul’s assertive management style.
Musk, who has historically donated to both Republican and Democratic candidates, is now backing a new super PAC to support Trump’s 2024 campaign. This initiative, known as America PAC, will mark Musk’s first major political contributions of the election cycle. The PAC is expected to file its initial financial disclosures in October.
Trump’s campaign spokesperson claimed that the technical difficulties only served to highlight the impact of the interview, suggesting that Musk and Trump were “breaking the internet” despite the setbacks.
Looking Ahead: The Future of X’s Live Events
The chaotic nature of this interview raises questions about the reliability of X’s live streaming capabilities and the platform’s ability to handle high-profile events. As Musk continues to support Trump’s campaign, the success of future live interviews and events on X will be closely scrutinized.
The ongoing technical issues and the platform’s struggle to deliver seamless live content could impact Musk’s reputation as an innovator in the digital space. Meanwhile, Trump’s alliance with Musk may provide a boost to his campaign, provided that future events are free from such disruptions.