Trump and Musk Discuss Government Spending, Inflation, and Efficiency in X Interview

Former president suggests Musk would be ’very good' as head of a government efficiency commission.

Republican presidential nominee and former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks as he participates in an interview with billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk on the social media platform X, at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla., on Aug. 12, 2024, in this picture obtained from social media. Margo Martin via X/via REUTERS

Former President Donald Trump and Elon Musk, CEO of the social platform X, held a wide ranging conversation on Aug. 12 on topics including the economy and energy prices, with Trump suggesting tapping Musk as the head of a government efficiency commission at one point.

After more than 30 minutes of delays caused by what Musk said was a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack on the platform, the two turned to the topic of inflation and government spending. The CEO suggested forming a commission to ensure the “country lives within its means,” adding that he believes federal overspending is the root cause of inflation.