President-elect Donald Trump has denied claims that he’s handed over presidential power to billionaire Elon Musk, who has been heavily involved in Trump’s move into the White House.
Trump made the comments during a speech in Arizona on Sunday, days after the Tesla and SpaceX owner intervened alongside the president-elect to scuttle a budget bill negotiated in Congress.
This was the latest example of Musk taking an unusually big role in Trump’s incoming government, which has worried Democrats and some Republicans alike.
Speaking about these concerns for the first time, Trump praised Musk but made it clear: “And no, he’s not taking the presidency.”
Trump dismissed the idea that he had “ceded the presidency to Elon Musk” as another “hoax” created by his political rivals.
In a later quip, Trump noted that there is no risk of Musk officially taking over as president because he would be constitutionally barred from doing so.
“You know why he can’t be [president]?” Trump asked the crowd in Arizona. “He wasn’t born in this country.”
Musk, who was born in South Africa and is currently the world’s richest person according to Forbes Magazine, became one of Trump’s biggest supporters before the election. He publicly backed Trump in July after someone tried to assassinate him, and put about £200 million into a group supporting Trump’s campaign.
Trump has now chosen Musk to lead something called the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which aims to make big cuts to government spending.
This “department” isn’t an official government agency – it’s meant to be an independent group giving advice, but no one’s quite sure what it will actually do yet.
Despite its undefined scope, the panel has sparked concerns about Musk’s outsized influence.
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The budget bill incident highlighted Musk’s impact, with Trump and Musk opposing provisions in the original bipartisan deal. House Speaker Mike Johnson confirmed speaking to both men during renegotiations.
The revised bill, signed by outgoing President Joe Biden, funds the government until March but does not address the debt ceiling, a contentious issue Trump sought to avoid before taking office.
Musk’s criticisms of the original bill on his X social media platform, including threats to back primary challenges against lawmakers who supported it, also drew attention.
While some Republicans have embraced Musk’s involvement, such as Representative Tony Gonzales, who likened Musk to a “prime minister,” others, like Democrat Rosa DeLauro, criticised his influence. DeLauro condemned the removal of a provision that could have restricted Musk’s business operations in China, accusing House Republicans of yielding to an unelected billionaire.
Musk’s presence at key meetings, including calls with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and discussions with French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, has further raised concerns about his role. Social media memes depicting Trump deferring to Musk have amplified these criticisms.
Despite the backlash, Senator Bill Hagerty defended Musk’s involvement, crediting his contributions while rejecting the notion that he dictates Trump’s decisions.
