The biggest takeaways from Elon Musk and Donald Trump's 'lovefest' interview

Elon Musk and Donald Trump made clear they are still the best of friends after sharing gushing comments about each other in a “lovefest” joint interview on Fox News.

The US President and his wealthiest backer expressed their admiration for each other while being interviewed in the White House.

So what did they talk about and which criticisms of the government did they address?

Musk and Trump are still BFFs

Amid simultaneous claims of tensions between the pair, Musk declared: “I love the president, I just want to be clear about that. I think President Trump is a good man. The president has been so unfairly attacked in the media, it’s really outrageous.”

Trump said: “This guy’s a brilliant guy. He’s a great guy. He’s got tremendous and scientific imagination. But he’s also a good person. He’s a very good person, and he wants to see the country do well.”

The interviewer remarked that he felt like he was interviewing “two brothers”.

Trump’s X settlement has not caused a rift

Musk’s social media platform X reached a $10m settlement with Trump last week after the president’s account was suspended in the wake of the Jan. 6 Capitol riots.

The app was still known as Twitter at the time, and the handlers implemented the suspension “due to the risk of further incitement of violence”.

Both men addressed the settlement in the interview. “I left it up to the lawyers,” Musk said.

“I think it’s very low… I was looking to get much more money than that, so you gave him a discount,” Trump said.

Musk provides ‘tech support’

Musk emphasised his role in providing "tech support" to the Trump administration, with the aim of enhancing government efficiency, while wearing a t-shirt that said, you guessed it, “tech support”.

“One of the biggest functions of the DOGE team is just making sure that the presidential executive orders are actually carried out,” Musk said.

“The president is the elected representative of the people, so it’s representing the will of the people. And if the bureaucracy is fighting the one of the people, and preventing the president from implementing what the people want. Then what we live in is a bureaucracy and not a democracy,” he added.

Musk’s response came after confusion arose when the White House said in a court filing on Monday (17 February) that he is an Oval office employee and senior advisor to the president and is not a DOGE employee nor can he make decisions, Reuters reported.

Elon Musk tried to clarify his role in the Trump administration with a not so subtle t-shirtFox News

Musk supports Trump’s nomination of RFK Jr for health secretary

Robert F Kennedy Jr has been called out for his controversial views on health policy, and is a well-known vaccine sceptic.

“He’s unfairly maligned as someone who is anti-science,” Musk said. “But I think he just wants to question the science which is the essence of the science. The scientific method fundamentally is about always questioning the science.”

RFK Jr was sworn in this month to lead the US Health and Human Services department.

Musk clarified the aim of DOGE

The pair dismissed claims that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is a violation of the US constitution. The interview aired as Musk’s prominent role in Trump’s administration receives a wave of criticism and claims he is usurping Trump’s power.

Last week 14 states filed a federal lawsuit against Trump and Musk, challenging the latter's role as head of DOGE, accusing him of being a "designated agent of chaos" whose "sweeping authority" is in violation of the US Constitution.

Trump stressed he intends to curb government inflation and uncover $1 trillion in what he considers “wasteful” government spending.

According to Musk, the aim is “to try and get a trillion dollars out of the deficit”.

“I think he’s going to find a trillion dollars,” Trump said. He also claimed social security will not be affected by the cuts and that shutting down the department of education will send school control back to the states.

Musk will ‘recuse’ himself if there is a conflict of interest

DOGE is overseeing the mass layoffs within the federal workforce which has ignited controversy as thousands of people lose their jobs.

Musk's businesses, SpaceX and Tesla, have benefitted from government funding, federal spending data shows, ABC reports.

When asked whether Musk had asked for any favours or special treatment for Tesla, such as a tax break for electric vehicles, both men denied this.

"I haven't asked the president for anything ever," Musk stated, to which Trump replied: "It's true."

Regarding any potential conflicts of interest between Musk’s work for the US government and his business interests, the interviewer quizzed: "And if it comes up, how will you handle it?"

"He won't be involved,” Trump responded.

Musk agreed, claiming, "I'll recuse myself if it is."

Trump then added: "I mean, I wouldn't want that, and he won't want it, right?"

You should also read:

What is 'Trump derangement syndrome' that Elon Musk claims his friends suffer from?

Musk and Trump's relationship isn't a concern for this one weird reason, according to Liz Truss

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