The much-hyped interview between Elon Musk and former President Donald Trump on the social media platform X faced technical glitches right from the start. As the scheduled start time at 8 p.m. ET approached, users trying to log onto the platform reported that they were unable to join the livestream. It was a disappointing start to what was supposed to be a highly anticipated event.
Shortly after 8:20 p.m., Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, attributed the technical issues to a cyberattack. However, CNBC was not able to independently verify whether an attack actually took place. Despite the glitches affecting the livestream, other parts of X continued to function normally.
Despite the technical difficulties, Musk assured users that the interview would proceed at 8:30 ET with whoever managed to successfully join the stream. He also mentioned that the “unedited audio” would be posted immediately after the conversation. After about an hour of troubleshooting, the interview finally commenced around 8:45 p.m.
Massive Audience Tune In
Despite the rocky start, at least one million people were tuned in to the interview, according to X Spaces tally. Musk acknowledged the opposition to President Trump’s views but expressed his honor in having the conversation. Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung praised Musk and Trump for drawing so many people to the platform, causing the crash.
Interview Content Overview
Once the conversation began, President Trump shared stories about an assassination attempt he survived in July in Butler, Pa., where an audience member lost their life at a rally. He also discussed topics such as Russian President Vladimir Putin, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, and his views on NATO. However, he also reiterated many of his typical claims about immigration and crime.
Technical Issues Resemble Past Incident
The technical glitch during the Musk-Trump interview evoked memories of a similar incident in 2023 when X’s platform crashed during Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ presidential campaign launch announcement. Despite the efforts to ensure a smooth livestream, technical hiccups can still occur, as evidenced by this recent situation.
The interview between Elon Musk and Donald Trump was marred by technical issues that delayed the start and caused frustration among viewers. The massive audience turnout indicated the high interest in the event, despite the challenges faced. Moving forward, it will be crucial for platforms like X to address technical vulnerabilities to ensure a seamless experience for users and participants in future events.
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