In a wide-ranging and occasionally surreal conversation with Elon Musk on X, formerly Twitter, former President Donald Trump made a startling claim about the assassination attempt he survived last month: “Illegal immigration saved my life.”
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The remark came as he recounted the events of July 13 in Butler, Pennsylvania, where he narrowly escaped a bullet fired by 20-year-old Matthew Crooks. Trump credited his survival to a glance at a chart about illegal immigration, which caused him to turn his head at a crucial moment.
“The doctors later told me that the ear is a place, that is a very bloody place if you’re going to get hit,” Trump told Musk. “But in this case, it was probably the best alternative you could even think about.”
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Political observers did not miss the irony of Trump’s statement. Throughout his political career, Trump has made hard-line immigration policies a cornerstone of his platform. His current campaign promises include what would be the largest mass deportation operation in U.S. history if he wins the November election.
The two-hour conversation, which started about 30 minutes late due to what Musk termed a “massive” denial-of-service attack, covered a range of topics beyond the assassination attempt. At its peak, the Spaces event had more than one million listeners.
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Trump used the platform to criticize Vice President Kamala Harris, calling her a “San Francisco liberal” and attacking her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. He also reiterated his stance on shuttering the Department of Education.
Musk, who has endorsed Trump for 2024, attempted to nudge the former president on certain policy issues. Musk advocated for sustainability without vilifying the oil and gas industry on climate change. He also expressed a softer view on immigration than Trump typically does, saying that most illegal immigrants are “good people” but noting the need for strong vetting processes.
The tech billionaire repeatedly proposed creating a government commission to study the national debt and reassess spending, offering his help on that initiative.
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Despite focusing more on policy than in recent public appearances, Trump still provided potential fodder for his opponents. He praised Musk for firing striking workers at Tesla and claimed there are enemies “within” the country more dangerous than Russia or China.
As the conversation wound down, Trump announced his intention to return to Butler in October for another rally.
The interview’s technical difficulties, reminiscent of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’s troubled campaign launch on the platform, may give other politicians pause before attempting similar events on X.
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