Jump directly to the content

ELON Musk and Donald Trump sent the internet into meltdown on Monday night as users struggled to access their hotly anticipated X interview.

The interview was set to take place on a live stream on X at 8 pm ET but users were having trouble gaining access.

Republican presidential nominee, former U.S. President Donald Trump gives a speech at a rally at the Brick Breeden Fieldhouse at Montana State University on August 9, 2024
3
Republican presidential nominee, former U.S. President Donald Trump gives a speech at a rally at the Brick Breeden Fieldhouse at Montana State University on August 9, 2024Credit: Getty
Thousands of X users were unable to access the unscripted interview between Elon Musk and Donald Trump
3
Thousands of X users were unable to access the unscripted interview between Elon Musk and Donald TrumpCredit: X
Tesla CEO Elon Musk looks on as he speaks during his visit at the Vivatech technology startups and innovation fair at the Porte de Versailles exhibition center in Paris, on June 16, 2023
3
Tesla CEO Elon Musk looks on as he speaks during his visit at the Vivatech technology startups and innovation fair at the Porte de Versailles exhibition center in Paris, on June 16, 2023Credit: AFP

Between 100,000 and 200,000 people managed to join the X Space to listen to the interview between Trump and Musk.

But thousands of others were unable to gain access and shared their frustration on the platform.

"The Trump and Elon Musk interview has already broken the internet. Too many people want to watch it," said one user.

"Not working," said another.

READ MORE ON DONALD TRUMP

"How do we watch this?" questioned a third.

"It is apparent at this point that no one can attend the conversation with Elon Musk and Donald Trump. Bad time for tech issues," a fourth user wrote.

"The Trump interview with Elon is going exactly the same way it did for Ron DeSantis. Technical difficulties," said a fifth user.

The Florida governor, 44, was expected to make his announcement in May 2023 as hundreds of thousands of users flocked to hear the GOP candidate's plan for the next four years.

But the interview crashed X Spaces and Musk even left the Space at one point.

Elon addressed users who were having trouble accessing the live stream 20 minutes after it was set to begin.

Donald Trump & Elon Musk’s unlikely bromance forged after years of insults & Tesla CEO’s endorsement of Ron DeSantis

"There appears to be a massive DDOS attack on 𝕏. Working on shutting it down," The Tesla CEO wrote.

"Worst case, we will proceed with a smaller number of live listeners and post the conversation later."

Musk shared his confidence shortly after revealing that the interview was tested with millions earlier on Monday.

"We tested the system with 8 million concurrent listeners earlier today," Musk wrote.

Donald Trump and Elon Musk's complicated relationship

Former president Donald Trump and Telsla CEO Elon Musk's relationship started rocky, but the pair have since reconciled, with Musk fully endorsing Trump and interviewing him on X Spaces on August 12.

In 2022, Elon Musk and Donald Trump publically feuded on X, then still known as Twitter.

Trump called Musk a liar and "bulls**t artist" during a rally in Alaska.

"Elon is not going to buy Twitter," Trump said at the time.

"You know, he said the other day, 'I've never voted for a Republican.' I said, 'I didn't know that - you told me you voted for me. So he's another bulls**t artist, but he's not going to be buying it."

In response to Trump's critiques, the SpaceX founder clapped back.

"I don't hate the man, but it's time for Trump to hang up his hat & sail into the sunset," Musk posted.

Musk also went on to buy X months later.

The X owner said he had previously voted mostly for Democrats since becoming a United States citizen in 2002.

However, when the 2024 election rolled around, he endorsed Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Trump's rival.

"My preference for the 2024 presidency is someone sensible and centrist," Musk wrote on X in 2022.

"I had hoped that would [be] the case for the Biden administration, but have been disappointed so far."

His shift in political parties might be attributed to his plummeting relationship with President Joe Biden who didn't invite Musk to the 2021 White House electric vehicle summit.

Despite their past issues, Trump and Musk's relationship took a turn in March after they met at Mar-a-Lago.

Trump was also previously against electric vehicles but has since changed his stance.

"I’m for electric cars,"; he said at a rally earlier this month.

"I have to be, because Elon endorsed me very strongly. So I have no choice."

Following the assassination attempt at Trump's rally in July, Musk announced his support for the former president.

"I fully endorse President Trump and hope for his rapid recovery," Musk wrote on X after the shooting.

During a recent press conference, Trump spoke highly of Musk.

"I respect Elon a lot. He respects me," he said.

"Elon, more than almost anybody I know, he loves this country. He loves the concept of this country, but like me, he says this country is in big trouble, it’s in tremendous danger."

Musk then decided to start the interview at 8:30 pm ET with a smaller number of concurrent listeners and post the unedited interview afterward.

"We will proceed with the smaller number of concurrent listeners at 8:30 ET and then post the unedited audio immediately thereafter," Musk said.

The interview finally got underway shortly after 8:40 pm.

A FRIENDSHIP FORMS

Technical difficulties with the talk come after the pair were set to sit down for an unscripted no-limits interview.

Musk announced the news on X about the unscripted interview on Sunday.

"This is unscripted with no limits on subject matter, so should be highly entertaining!" Musk  on X.

Musk gave X users a chance to get their voices heard after allowing them to comment questions they had for the former president.

He later promoted the interview with an image promoting the interview with the duo writing, "Entertainment guaranteed!"

Their conversation comes after the SpaceX founder endorsed Trump in the 2024 election after an attempted assassination at his Pennsylvania rally on July 13.

Trump was grazed in the ear by a bullet shot by gunman Thomas Crooks, who was later shot dead by the Secret Service.

Bullets from Crook's gun also killed an attendee and left two others severely injured.

READ MORE SUN STORIES

Though the pair have had a rocky relationship, Musk shared who he would be supporting this election on X after the shooting.

"I fully endorse President Trump and hope for his rapid recovery,"; Musk .

Topics