President-elect Donald Trump has shut down speculation that billionaire Elon Musk could assume the presidency.
Addressing a crowd of supporters, Trump dismissed rumors suggesting he had “ceded the presidency” to Musk, calling the claims yet another “hoax” propagated by his political opponents.
Referring to memes and online rumors, Trump said, “No, no. That’s not happening. He’s not gonna be president.” He humorously pointed out Musk’s South African birthplace, adding, “You know why he can’t be [president]? He wasn’t born in this country,” as reported by the Associated Press (AP).
Musk, the world’s richest man, endorsed Trump during the election campaign, shortly after the president-elect survived an assassination attempt. Musk also contributed an estimated $200 million to a Political Action Committee (PAC) supporting Trump’s campaign.
Following his election victory, Trump announced plans to appoint Musk as head of the proposed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a new initiative aimed at significantly reducing federal spending.
