Trump Claims Biden Exit a ‘Coup’: Debate Victory

Donald Trump on Biden’s Exit: “A Coup Forced by My Debate Victory”

In a recent interview with Elon Musk, former President Donald Trump made a series of bold claims, most notably referring to Joe Biden’s departure from the White House race as a “coup” initiated by his debate performance. The conversation, streamed live on X, experienced a 40-minute delay due to technical issues but quickly garnered attention from millions of viewers.

Trump’s Bold Claim: Biden’s Exit as a “Coup”

Trump didn’t hold back in his conversation with Musk, stating, “I beat Biden so bad in the debate, he was forced out of the race—one of the greatest debate performances ever. Biden’s exit, it was a coup.” This statement follows Biden’s sudden withdrawal from the presidential race last month, where he endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris instead, after facing pressure from his party due to a poor debate performance on June 28th.

Kamala Harris: The New Democratic Pick

Trump expressed his frustration over Harris replacing Biden, questioning her competence and media presence, “She hasn’t done an interview since this whole scam started.” Musk added fuel to the fire by labeling Harris as “far left,” while Trump went a step further, calling her a “radical-left lunatic.”

The conversation didn’t stop at Harris. Trump also criticized her running mate, Tim Walz, for his progressive policies as Minnesota’s Governor, particularly pointing out the controversial law allowing tampons in boys’ bathrooms. Musk’s response was a simple, “Yeah, that’s weird,” aligning with Trump’s disdain.

The Assassination Attempt: “Not Pleasant”

During the interview, Trump recounted the recent assassination attempt against him at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, describing it as “not pleasant” and “surreal.” He explained, “I knew immediately that it was a bullet,” and emphasized his resolve to return to Butler in October, joking about resuming his speech where it left off.

Musk, who endorsed Trump partly because of his handling of the incident, found the former president’s response “incredibly inspiring.”

Record-Breaking Viewership Despite Technical Glitches

The interview, despite its delayed start, saw unprecedented engagement on X, with over 1.3 million people tuning in within the first 45 minutes. Trump congratulated Musk on “breaking every record in the book,” a testament to the high public interest in their conversation.

Musk attributed the delay to a distributed denial-of-service attack but didn’t confirm this claim with any concrete evidence.

Border Issues and Immigration: A Shared Concern

Trump and Musk also discussed border security, with Trump reiterating his claims of other countries sending criminals across the US border. He promised the “largest deportation” in American history if re-elected. Musk echoed Trump’s concerns, sharing his experience of visiting the southern border and describing the people he encountered as unfriendly.

“No IQ at All”: Trump’s Harsh Critique of Biden

Trump didn’t shy away from his usual criticism of Biden, asserting that the current president “might not even have an IQ at all.” This statement arose during a discussion on the Russia-Ukraine war, where Trump claimed that Russia would never have invaded Ukraine had he still been in office. He also praised authoritarian leaders like Putin, Xi Jinping, and Kim Jong Un as being at the “top of their game.”

Inflation Crisis: Trump’s Blame on Biden

The conversation turned to the US’s inflation crisis, with Trump accusing Biden of causing the “worst inflation in 100 years.” He dismissed official figures, claiming, “They say it’s 48 years. I don’t believe it.” In 2022, US inflation reached 9.1%, the highest annual rate in over four decades.

Musk’s Offer: A Role in Trump’s Administration?

During the nearly two-hour-long interview, Musk proposed taking a role in Trump’s administration to help control government spending if the latter is re-elected. Trump expressed enthusiasm about the idea, praising Musk’s cost-cutting measures at X and calling him “the greatest cutter.”

In May, the Wall Street Journal had reported discussions between Musk and Trump regarding a potential role in Trump’s administration, but Musk had initially pushed back on these claims.