Elon Musk’s highly anticipated interview with former President Donald Trump on the social media platform X hit a roadblock right from the start. The scheduled 8 p.m. ET start time was marred by technical glitches that prevented users from accessing X’s livestream platform. Musk attributed the freezing screens to a cyberattack, although CNBC could not independently confirm this claim. Despite the technical issues, other parts of X continued to function smoothly.
Musk revealed that the X team had conducted tests earlier in the day with 8 million concurrent listeners to prevent any technical snags during the live interview. However, as the evening progressed and the technical problems persisted, Musk announced that the interview would commence at 8:30 p.m. ET with those users who managed to successfully join the livestream. He assured viewers that the “unedited audio” would be released immediately after the interview concluded.
After nearly an hour of troubleshooting, the interview finally began around 8:45 p.m. ET, with over a million viewers tuning in, according to X Spaces tally. Musk acknowledged the challenges faced, stating, “This massive attack illustrates there’s a lot of opposition to people just hearing what President Trump has to say, but I’m honored to have this conversation.”
In response to inquiries about the technical delays, Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung referred to Musk’s X post. However, once the conversation kicked off, Cheung appeared to praise Musk and Trump for overwhelming the system by attracting a large audience. “BREAKING THE INTERNET!” Cheung exclaimed on X, accompanied by a photo of Trump engaged in the conversation.
During the interview, Trump recounted the harrowing experience of surviving an attempted assassination in July in Butler, Pa., where a rally attendee tragically lost their life. He delved into familiar topics such as his interactions with world leaders like Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un, as well as his stance on NATO, immigration, and crime. This interview aimed to provide insight into Trump’s personality and thoughts, beyond his public appearances.
Despite the technical challenges faced during Elon Musk’s interview with Donald Trump, the conversation eventually took place, garnering a significant audience and sparking discussions online. The event showcased the immense interest in hearing from the former president, as well as the impact of high-profile interviews on social media platforms. This unexpected turn of events only added to the buzz surrounding the interview, leaving viewers eagerly anticipating future interactions and updates.
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