Trump rails against ‘President Musk’

In a fiery speech to supporters at Turning Point USA’s AmFest conference on Sunday, President-elect Donald Trump took aim at rumors that billionaire tech mogul Elon Musk has somehow supplanted him, dismissing any notion that the Tesla and SpaceX founder was now “President Musk.”

“We will create a new Department of Government Efficiency, and guess who’s going to head it up? Elon Musk,” Trump told a cheering crowd. “And no, he’s not taking the presidency.”

Trump also insisted that the push from “big companies” to slash regulations outstripped their interest in tax cuts—a reminder, he said, that he still holds the reins of power.

“They’ve tried everything—Russia, Russia, Russia, Ukraine, Ukraine, Ukraine,” Trump fumed. “Now they’re onto this new hoax: ‘President Trump ceded the presidency to Elon Musk.’ No, no, that’s not happening. But Elon’s done an amazing job.”

In a nod to Musk’s many business ventures, Trump offered praise before immediately returning to the subject of whether the billionaire is a political threat.

“Look, he’s not going to be president. That I can tell you,” Trump declared. “And I’m safe. You know why? He can’t be. He wasn’t born in this country. Ha, ha, ha. But the fake news knows that.”

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Democrats in recent days have derided Trump’s grip on the GOP, suggesting he handed over the keys to “President Musk” after the billionaire led a campaign to squash legislation preventing a government shutdown. It’s a notion that’s gained steam amid Musk’s increasing political influence, especially on social media.

But Trump, refusing to be overshadowed by anyone—least of all a Silicon Valley luminary—called the accusation just another in a never-ending line of political “hoaxes.”

For more background on Musk’s entanglement with Washington politics, read Politico’s coverage of his recent lobbying efforts.

And for a closer look at how the GOP is grappling with Trump’s leadership style, check out The New York Times’ analysis of the party’s internal struggles.