Elon Musk’s interview with Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump was marred by significant technical issues, which Musk attributed to a cyber attack. The lengthy discussion, which Musk described as targeting “open-minded independent voters,” was delayed by more than 40 minutes, as many users encountered problems accessing the livestream.
Musk, the owner of X (formerly Twitter), claimed that a distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack was responsible for the disruption. According to Musk, the attack “saturated all of our data lines,” rendering the platform nearly inaccessible for a significant portion of users. DDoS attacks work by overwhelming a website with an excessive amount of traffic, which can cause severe slowdowns or even complete outages.
The technical issues at the start of the interview were compounded by the fact that Musk had promoted the event as a high-profile conversation with the potential to influence undecided voters. As the scheduled start time came and went, many users struggled to connect, and Musk took to X to announce that a “massive DDOS attack on X” was the cause of the problem. He suggested that the attack was indicative of resistance to Trump’s message and an attempt to stifle the conversation.
Once the interview eventually commenced, Musk and Trump discussed various topics for about two hours. During the conversation, Musk reaffirmed his support for Trump and urged moderate voters to consider backing the Republican candidate. Musk expressed a hopeful vision for the future, encouraging optimism and enthusiasm about what might lie ahead. His comments were intended to resonate with voters looking for inspiration and a clear vision of the future.
The interview’s rocky start was reminiscent of the difficulties experienced by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis during his campaign launch in May 2023. That event, which was also hosted on X, faced significant livestream malfunctions, leading to frustration among viewers and raising questions about the platform’s reliability for high-stakes political events.
The technical glitches during Musk’s and Trump’s interview were notable not just for their immediate impact but also for the broader context in which they occurred. Trump, the former president and Republican presidential nominee, is currently attempting to revitalize his re-election campaign. Recent opinion polls indicate a tightening race, particularly in light of Vice-President Kamala Harris’s nomination as the Democratic candidate. Harris has gained momentum following President Joe Biden’s unexpected withdrawal from the race last month. The upcoming Democratic National Convention in Chicago could further bolster her campaign, particularly with her new running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.
Amid these developments, Trump’s campaign has been critical of Harris for her limited interactions with the media and her reluctance to take questions from reporters. Trump himself has praised platforms like X for providing him with the opportunity to engage in extended conversations and present his views directly to the public.
Musk’s involvement in the political arena has been growing, and his platform, X, plays a significant role in this dynamic. With over 190 million followers, Musk is a highly influential figure on social media, often engaging in political controversies and discussions. His recent involvement with a new political committee supporting Trump’s campaign underscores his increasing influence and the strategic importance of X in contemporary political discourse.
In summary, the technical problems that plagued Musk’s interview with Trump highlight the challenges and potential pitfalls of using social media platforms for high-profile political events. Despite the difficulties, the conversation aimed to reach a broad audience and was part of a larger effort by Trump to reconnect with voters and reset his campaign amidst a competitive political landscape.
