Trump has not officially taken office yet, but Musk has already played a significant role in Trump's team, causing increasing dissatisfaction among many. On the 22nd, Trump emphasized at a conservative event in Phoenix that he would be the President of the United States, not Musk.
"No, he will not become president. You know, they are at it again with new tricks, and now all sorts of rumors are appearing. The latest rumor is that President Trump has handed the presidential position to Musk."
Trump said: "No, no, this will not happen."
Reports also state that Trump asked at an event organized by the conservative youth group 'Turning Point USA': "We have a smart person to rely on, isn’t that nice? Don’t we want that?"
He said: "But I can tell you, he will not become the President of the United States. I will be very safe. Do you know why? He cannot (become president). He was not born in our country. Hahaha."
The report mentioned that Trump appointed Musk to lead a government efficiency department, responsible for a plan to cut federal government costs and relax regulations. This is not an official government department, but a team made up of a small group of people from Musk's Washington office at SpaceX.
Trump's appointment of Musk has already triggered complaints about conflicts of interest, as many of Musk's businesses—including Tesla, The Boring Company, SpaceX, and the satellite internet project 'Starlink'—are regulated by the U.S. federal government and have federal contracts.