Trump and Musk Interview Together: "Like Two Brothers"

"It’s like interviewing two brothers"

Trump and Musk sat side by side, with Trump praising Musk's intelligence and business acumen. He claimed the media is trying to "drive a wedge between us" and insisted their relationship is very harmonious.

Trump referred to the world's richest man as "actually a very outstanding businessman," stating that Musk and his "100 geniuses" ensured the execution of a series of his executive orders, though Trump did not say Musk was the brains behind these orders. "He gets things done," Trump said.

Musk described his role in executing Trump's executive orders as "technical support."

He praised Trump highly. "I love the president. I want to make that clear," Musk said. "I think President Trump is a good person."

"The president has been subjected to such unfair attacks in the media—it's really outrageous," he continued. "At this point, I've spent a lot of time with the president, and I have never seen him do anything petty, cruel, or wrong. Not once."

The two mocked some critics' claims that Musk usurped Trump's authority as president. Hannity remarked, "I feel like I'm interviewing two brothers."

During the 2024 election cycle, Musk has spent at least $288 million to help Trump and other Republican candidates get elected.

Musk stated he would have supported Trump in the 2024 election anyway, but the assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, last July accelerated that process. He publicly supported Trump after the incident and shared a video on his social media platform X of Trump raising a bloodied fist at a rally.

The cost-saving plan of the Department of Government Efficiency

Trump claimed that Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) would cut "hundreds of billions" from the federal budget in "fraud" and other forms of waste—a figure far higher than most experts consider reasonable.

Jessica Riedl, a senior researcher at the right-wing Manhattan Institute, stated that Musk claimed on X to have identified over $50 billion in alleged waste and fraud, but further investigation showed the actual number is closer to $4 billion.

Budget experts are highly skeptical of claims that there is "hundreds of billions" in waste and fraud each year.

The Washington Post reported last week that the social media-posted social security database from DOGE shows only $6 billion in total waste annually. Of that, $4 billion comes from a proposed cap on research indirect costs paid by the National Institutes of Health to universities, medical centers, and other grant recipients, which has been halted by a judge.

Musk will avoid conflicts of interest

Trump told Hannity that if Musk's advisory role to the federal government conflicts with any of his business activities, "he will not be involved."

"I have never asked the president for anything," Musk said, adding that if there is any conflict of interest, he will avoid it.

On Tuesday, when asked about the role of the Tesla CEO and SpaceX founder, Trump made similar comments to reporters. Musk compared his current situation to "being examined rectally every day."

As reported by The Washington Post, Musk is actively working in the White House without giving up his business role, a highly unusual arrangement that raises many questions.

Commitment not to cut Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid

In the interview, Trump promised that as Republicans seek to cut federal spending and enact a tax bill of about $5 trillion, he would not touch Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid benefits. He reiterated this campaign promise, making it more difficult for congressional Republicans to push for an extension of the 2017 tax cuts.

These three social security programs account for the largest portion of federal spending each year. Without cutting benefits from these programs, it is nearly impossible for Republicans to achieve their dual goals of significant tax cuts and spending reductions.

Trump told Hannity, "Social Security will not be touched—except in cases of fraud—on the contrary, it will be strengthened, not cut. Medicare, Medicaid… none of these will be affected."

Reiterating corruption in USAID

During the interview, Hannity displayed a chart on screen, claiming to show "suspicious spending" by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)—including some debunked spending claims.

"All of this goes to foreign countries. The money is not spent here in America, not used to improve schools, or maintain law and order," Hannity commented.

The Washington Post investigated several of the so-called USAID expenditures mentioned in a recent press release from the Trump administration. Fox News' chart referenced foreign aid allegedly used to fund "diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) musicals" in Ireland, "transgender operas" in Colombia, and "transgender comic books" in Peru—all of which claims are inaccurate.

The chart also mentioned funding to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in Serbian workplaces. This claim is largely accurate.