In a strategic move to make his social media platform X a hub for political discourse, Elon Musk has announced live town hall events featuring former President Donald Trump and independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
What Happened: The town hall events are part of Musk’s efforts to position X as a significant platform for political discussions. The events will be aired live on X and NewsNation, a television network, reported The Wall Street Journal, citing a person familiar with the plans.
During the town hall, X users will have the opportunity to submit questions for the candidates. The platform is currently planning events only for presidential candidates.
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These events are a result of X CEO Linda Yaccarino‘s efforts to bring more video content to the platform. The events were initially intended to be debates, with the Biden campaign being invited but declining to participate.
Musk and Trump have developed a friendly relationship in recent months, with Musk expressing his reluctance to vote for Biden this election cycle. Musk has also engaged in live audio conversations with other presidential candidates on his platform.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Musk and Trump have established a friendly relationship in recent months, speaking on the phone multiple times each month. While Musk has refrained from endorsing Trump directly, earlier this year, he expressed his reluctance to support Biden in the current election cycle.
Why It Matters: The relationship between Elon Musk and Donald Trump has been evolving over time. According to a former White House official, Musk visited Trump regularly during his presidency. Despite this, Musk recently stated that there have been no discussions about a role for him in a potential Trump administration.
Moreover, Musk has been vocal about hosting political debates on X. He called for a debate between Biden and Trump to be hosted on the platform. This initiative aligns with his broader vision to make X a central platform for political discourse.
However, the idea of a debate involving Trump has faced resistance. For instance, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) expressed her disapproval of sharing a stage with Trump.
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This story was generated using Benzinga Neuro and edited by Kaustubh Bagalkote
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