Trump addresses "President Musk" allegations in bizarre joint interview
Washington DC - President Donald Trump has responded to accusations in the press that Elon Musk is the real leader of his new administration in a bizarre joint interview with the tech billionaire.
In a preview clip of the joint interview with Fox News' Sean Hannity due to be broadcast Tuesday night, Trump and Musk discuss the media's response to the latter's role in the new administration.
According to Trump, the media are trying to drive the two of them apart and position them against one another with claims that Musk is pulling the strings at the White House.
"Elon called me and said, 'You know, they're trying to drive us apart,'" Trump told Hannity in the interview. "I said, 'Absolutely.'"
"They said, 'We have breaking news: Donald Trump has ceded control of the presidency to Elon Musk. President Musk will be attending a cabinet meeting tonight at eight o'clock.'"
As Trump talks, Musk laughs repeatedly and keeps saying "yeah" in response.
Trump takes swipe at media over Elon Musk allegations
Musk has wielded extraordinary power over the first few weeks of Trump's second administration as head of the new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
As an unelected person who did not require confirmation from the Senate, Musk has waged a war against diversity, equity and inclusion in the federal government, while DOGE has ordered the firing of thousands of government employees.
Musk's growing role in the administration has prompted speculation whether he is the one with the real power.
Trump denied such claims while taking a jab at the media: "It's just so obvious, they're so bad at it. I used to think they were good at it, they're actually bad at it – because if they were good at it, I would never have been president."
"Nobody in history has ever got more bad publicity than me. I could do the greatest things – I get 98% bad publicity... It's like the craziest thing."
Cover photo: AFP/Brandon Bell/Getty Images