PHOENIX — President-elect Donald Trump dismissed any suggestion that he’s being usurped by his high-profile billionaire ally Elon Musk, coming off per week wherein Musk helped derail an emergency spending measure to avert a authorities shutdown.
Trump mentioned the notion that he has “ceded the presidency” to Musk is a fiction and that even when Musk needed the job, he couldn’t get it due to the Constitution’s requirement that the U.S. president be a natural-born citizen. Musk was born in South Africa.
“No, he’s not going to be president, that I can inform you,” Trump mentioned. “And I’m protected. You know why he can’t be? He wasn’t born on this nation.”
Trump spoke for greater than an hour Sunday at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest convention in Phoenix, with 1000’s of conservative activists cheering wildly as he took the stage amid a pyrotechnic show. It was his first rally-style occasion because the election.
Smoke curled across the lectern and sparklers shot up from the ground as the gang stood and cheered the incoming president, who wore his trademark go well with and overlong pink tie.
“Trump! Trump! Trump!” the viewers chanted.
“The golden age of America is upon us,” Trump mentioned.
In his remarks, Trump additionally mentioned that Russian President Vladimir Putin needs to fulfill with him “as quickly as potential” and known as for an finish to the “horrible,” horrible” battle between Russia and Ukraine.
During the marketing campaign, Trump mentioned he would carry a swift finish to the battle, utilizing leverage and clout he believes he has attained with each Putin and Ukraine’s chief, Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Raising a distinct overseas coverage situation, he reiterated a warning that he made on social media Saturday that Panama is charging extreme charges to be used of the Panama Canal, the passageway between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
If Panama doesn’t relent, Trump mentioned he would insist on retaking management of the canal, which the U.S. relinquished under a treaty that then-President Jimmy Carter signed in 1977.
“We’re being ripped off on the Panama Canal like we’re being ripped off in all places else,” Trump mentioned.
The president of Panama, José Raúl Mulino, posted on social media Sunday that the canal belongs to Panama and the sovereignty of the nation will not be up for negotiation.
Trump additionally outlined a brand new plan for a campaign-style promoting blitz aimed toward discouraging drug use.“We are going to promote how dangerous medication are for you,” Trump mentioned. “They wreck your look, they wreck your face, they wreck your pores and skin. They wreck your enamel. If you wish to have horrible enamel, take numerous fentanyl.”
Trump’s look on the convention adopted a tense standoff in Washington, D.C., over the previous week that just about precipitated a authorities shutdown.
Trump and Musk successfully scuttled Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson’s proposed emergency spending measure, forcing lawmakers to search out an appropriate various that may maintain the federal government operating hours earlier than the shutdown would have taken impact.
Musk, who owns the social media web site X, posted greater than 100 instances about his objections to the original spending deal — a preview of how he could use his affect and his megaphone to form coverage in Trump’s second time period.
Mockingly, Democrats have taken to calling him “President Musk.” History exhibits that anybody who upstages Trump or diverts consideration from him doesn’t final lengthy in his orbit.
Yet Trump’s remarks counsel that he doesn’t desire a rift with Musk; for now, the 2 have shared pursuits. Musk spent more than $250 million to assist get Trump elected.
After his victory, Trump tapped Musk to move a brand new nongovernmental office whose mission is to cut back authorities prices and inefficiencies. Looking forward, Musk’s wealth may assist maintain Republicans in Trump’s fold. Any GOP lawmaker tempted to defy Trump could concern that the brand new president would orchestrate a major problem bankrolled by Musk.
Speakers on the convention downplayed any friction between Musk and Trump.
In a speech Thursday evening, Donald Trump Jr., the president-elect’s eldest son, mentioned: “You see what the media is attempting to do to interrupt up the connection that my father has with Elon. They’re attempting to trigger that schism to stop these guys doing what they’re going to do finest, and we can not enable that.”
Another speaker, Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., mentioned in an interview with NBC News that Musk is filling an essential function in serving to get rid of authorities waste.
“We’re bringing in a advisor from the personal sector to place a distinct set of eyes on what we’re spending cash on,” Mullin mentioned.
As for Musk’s use of his social media platform, Mullin mentioned, “He has a proper to do it. He’s nonetheless a non-public citizen. He’s no totally different than anybody else.”
Less than one month earlier than the forty fifth president turns into the forty seventh, Trump appeared in a very good temper. After summoning Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, to the stage, Trump scanned the gang and didn’t see him at first.
“Is he right here someplace? Ted? Ted?” Trump mentioned. “Oh, oh, he’s in hassle.” At that, Cruz emerged from backstage and the 2 shook palms and embraced.
At one other level, Trump heard a wierd sound onstage. “What the hell was that?” he mentioned. “You get the little yips up right here each infrequently.”
Trump, who confronted two assassination makes an attempt in the course of the marketing campaign, added: “I’m wondering why.”
