Business Leaders and Politicians Respond to Elon Musk and Trump on X

Elon Musk and former President Donald Trump participated in a live-streamed discussion on Monday, provoking reactions from various business and political figures.

The conversation, which was expected to begin promptly, faced a delay of over 40 minutes due to technical issues. When it finally commenced, Trump dominated much of the dialogue, covering topics that ranged from his experiences of survival against assassination attempts to issues surrounding immigration.

Reactions to their discussion poured in from prominent figures in both the tech and political spheres.

Billionaire Mark Cuban took to X to comment on the nature of the conversation, questioning, “Anyone tracking how much each participant in this Spaces ‘conversation’ is speaking?” His use of quotes around “conversation” subtly criticized Musk for marketing the event as a genuine dialogue instead of an interview. Musk had earlier asserted that he preferred the term “conversation,” suggesting that interviews often fail to capture the true essence of a person.

Cuban elaborated in a follow-up tweet, stating, “Aren’t most conversations a little more balanced? Shouldn’t both participants ask the other questions rather than only one asking?” His remarks suggested that Trump had taken the lead in the discussion, leaving Musk to interject occasionally amidst Trump’s lengthy monologues.

Governor Gavin Newsom of California, known for his fraught relationship with Musk, found a moment to critique both Musk and Trump. He tweeted, “Glitchy. Tech issues. Uncomfortable silences. A complete failure to launch. And that’s just the candidate.” This tweet mirrored a statement made by a Trump spokesperson regarding a disastrous livestream held by Governor Ron DeSantis in May 2023, which experienced similar problems.

Box CEO Aaron Levie also chimed in during the conversation. He urged Musk via an X post to ask Trump about a recurring Hannibal Lecter reference that Trump often mentions in his speeches. The remark alluded to Trump’s peculiar habit of drawing parallels with the fictional character from the movie “The Silence of the Lambs.” Levie later chose to delete his post.

Mark Pincus, founder of the gaming company Zynga, expressed his admiration for Trump during the stream, asserting, “Trump is strong in conversation. Hate me for stating truths!” However, he directed harsher criticism towards Musk, describing the experience as “like talking to an NPC.” This comment reflected a sense of disappointment regarding Musk’s contributions to the dialogue.

David Sacks, venture capitalist and former CEO of Yammer, framed the conversation in a positive light, answering a prompt regarding Musk and Trump’s exchange with a single word: “Joyful.” Having previously shared a meal with Musk where they discussed defeating Biden in the upcoming election, Sacks has actively supported Trump, even hosting a fundraiser that amassed around $12 million.

The Vice President’s campaign wasted no time in sharing their thoughts following the conclusion of the livestream. They issued a statement via X that criticized both Musk and Trump’s approach, labeling Trump’s “extremism and dangerous Project 2025 agenda” as a glaring issue highlighted during the event. The statement accused Trump of pandering to the interests of “self-obsessed rich guys” like Musk at the expense of the middle class, implying incompetence in conducting a successful livestream in 2024.

The conversation culminated in a blend of praise and criticism directed towards both figures, showcasing their polarizing influence in today’s socio-political environment.

Source: Business Insider