Harris has been criticized for not participating in any long-term interviews since Trump won the Democratic nomination.

In a high-profile interview on the X platform, Elon Musk had a long conversation with former President Donald Trump. The event, initially set for 5:30 AM IST, was delayed by 40 minutes due to the cyber attack. During the two-hour discussion, Trump and Musk discussed a variety of topics, including the recent assassination attempt on Trump and Kamala Harris' immigration record in the Russia-Ukraine war. Notably, Trump expressed concern about the possible economic consequences if Kamala Harris wins the 2024 US presidential election.

Trump took the opportunity to criticize Democratic nominee Kamala Harris, highlighting her rising popularity in recent polls. With more than 1.3 million users tuning in, the interview provided Trump with a platform to regain visibility amid Harris' rise in the race to replace Joe Biden. The conversation highlighted Trump's fears about the future of the US economy under the Harris administration.

Trump talks about an assassination attempt

As the interview began, the first question the X owner asked was about the assassination attempt on Trump. In response to this question, Trump claimed that he “knew immediately that it was a bullet”. Speaking to X on Elon Musk, Trump said, “I knew right away it was a bullet. I immediately knew it was on the ears… For people who don't believe in God, I think we should all start thinking about it”.

The assassination attempt has changed Trump's campaign, with Musk endorsing his candidacy after the former president was injured in the attempt. As reported by the New York Times, the endorsement was a departure from the usual self-proclaimed neutrality maintained by the social media platform's leaders.

“It was a huge hit. It was very, I guess you would say, surreal, but it wasn't surreal. You know, I was telling somebody, you have examples of … where you think it's a surreal situation. And I never thought so. I knew right away it was a bullet,” Trump added.

Trump on illegal immigration

In the interview, the former president also talked about illegal immigration, saying at one point that “illegal immigration saved my life,” referring to an assassination attempt in July when he saw a chart about immigration at a Butler rally. A bullet grazes his ear.

Trump has labeled illegal immigrants “radicals” and “terrorists in disguise” and vowed to quickly remove them. He also hoped for fair conduct in the upcoming elections to be held on November 5, 2024.

The Republican candidate also accused America's neighbors of sending their criminals across the US border, at one point saying that Venezuela was freeing its prisons by “freeing criminals and threatening them if they come back.” “Elon we are going to face the biggest deportation in the history of this country and we have no choice. Otherwise, what they have done for our country will be in our country. Think about it, in Venezuela and some of these other countries, crime is down 50, 60, 70, 80%,” he said.

Trump on Kamala Harris

Trump attacked Harris for 'copying his stance' on issues such as border control and taxes on tips. “She is making a speech that there will be no tax on tips. As I said a few months ago. By the way, they had the opposite — they hired 88,000 IRS agents, many to go after waitresses and caddies for tips,” Trump alleged.

Harris has been criticized for not participating in any long-term interviews since Trump won the Democratic nomination. Speaking at a high-profile forum, Trump countered this with his own unwillingness to engage in detailed discussions.

“It's great to have a forum like this,” Trump said, referring to an interview with Elon Musk. Despite President Biden's recent interview with CBS News, he lamented that a seasoned politician like Harris would avoid answering questions or participating in interviews.

Musk added that Harris declined to be interviewed. While Harris has been active in organizing large rallies, she has not given a single major media interview since entering the presidential race.

Trump blamed Biden for the Ukraine attack, citing a strong relationship with Putin

Donald Trump has claimed that Russia would not have invaded Ukraine if Joe Biden was not president. In an interview with Musk, Trump argued that his strong relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin could have avoided the conflict.

“I got along very well with Putin and he respected me,” Trump said, adding that he often spoke to Putin about Ukraine and described him as “the apple of his eye.” Trump claimed that he had warned Putin about taking action, “but I told him not to.” Elon Musk did not challenge Trump's statement, instead agreeing with him and saying, “You make an excellent point.” The exchange has drawn attention as Trump has criticized Biden's handling of foreign affairs, particularly the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.