In December 2024, while US President-elect Donald Trump was addressing AmericaFest in Phoenix, an alleged screenshot (archived) of a Truth Social post circulated online and garnered more than 300,000 views.
(User X @iamchanteezy)
The post read:
Let me explain everything right away: I am the president-elect of the United States. Not Elon Musk. Nobody else. I know the media (the FAKE NEWS) and even some of you keep saying things like “Elon really runs the show”, however let me tell you it is MY vision, MY leadership and MY America we are talking about. Array Now, I admit, Elon was helpful in the campaign. He gave a lot of cash, HUGE amounts of cash. And I enjoyed it, in fact I did. But lately I feel like he’s forgotten one thing: I’m the one on the fare. Not him. Sure, he’s smart about rockets, cars, maybe even X (well, sort of), but politics? This is MY game, friends. The constant confusion, other people joking about him being “president” and I’m just vice president? NO. Fake. Totally false. It’s distracting and, frankly, disrespectful. This is about the American people, not Elon Musk’s ego. So, Elon, I’ll say this: Thank you for your support, but it’s time for you to stay in your lane. I’m trying to make this country greater than ever. The global will see who is in the rate on January 20. MAGA!
However, as user X who shared the alleged screenshot admitted, the post is fake. A seek of Trump’s Truth, a site that archives all of the president-elect’s posts on Truth Social, did not reveal any original edits to the post. The post was also not discovered in searches of Facebook and/or Trump’s accounts.
Discussion about the power balance between Musk and Trump had been ongoing since at least the end of November (archived). In early December (archived), various (archived) posts (archived) featuring the phrase “President Musk” circulated online.
The word resonated through Democratic Rep. Dan Goldman (archived) and former Republican Congressman Adam Kinzinger (archived).
In fact, Trump addressed the discussion in his speech at AmericaFest on December 22 (at 1:02:39 in the video).
We will create the new Department of Government Effectiveness led by Elon Musk. And no, he will not assume the presidency. I like having other wise people. You know, they’re on a new kick: Russia, Russia, Russia, Ukraine, Ukraine, Ukraine, all the other hoaxes and the new one is: “President Trump has handed over the presidency to Elon Musk. ” the case. But Elon has done a job. Isn’t it great to have other wise people you can count on?
After praising Musk for his work in offering Starlink to disaster-stricken regions of the United States, Trump added: “But no, he probably wouldn’t be president, I can assure you. And I’m safe, do you know why? This is not the case, he was not born in this country.
@AdamKinzinger. Oh the Battle We Fought over the Debt Ceiling. And All We Needed to Do to Pass One Is Have Vice President Trump and President Musk Ask for It. 19 Dec. 2024, https://x.com/AdamKinzinger/status/1869742257039098241.
@iamchanteezy. “Maybe it’s a genuine message, but it still speaks to some fact about his tainted ego. ” X, 22 December 2024, https://x. com/iamchanteezy/status/1870668649813426611.
—. “Someone’s ego has been ripped out ?. ” X, 21 December 2024, https://x. com/iamchanteezy/status/1870599806760198174
@MartinNZ1969. ” So now it turns out that JD Vance has disappeared from the side of the couch, so to speak. Is Trump officially vice president or do you think President Musk will appoint someone else?” /x. com/MartinNZ1969/status/1865521066069946859.
President-Elect Trump Speaks at Turning Point Action Conference in Arizona | Video | C-SPAN.Org. https://www.c-span.org/program/public-affairs-event/president-elect-trump-speaks-at-turning-point-action-conference-in-arizona/653788. Accessed 23 Dec. 2024.
@ProteinProsecco. ” Hearing that under President Musk and Co-President Trump, all extraneous weather air numbers will be removed from flight booking apps. . . “X, November 30, 2024, https://x. com/ProteinProsecco/status /1862849924490035506.
@RepDanGoldman. “President Musk and Vice President Trump directed House Republicans to reject a bipartisan deal that would have allowed New York to reimburse SNAP theft victims. ” X, December 20, 2024, https://x. com/repdangoldman/status/1869931881484927045.
@RobertJMolnar. “President Musk Had an Excellent Meeting with the President of Georgia.” X, 8 Dec. 2024, https://x.com/RobertJMolnar/status/1865545368475468010.
@Rt_Sports_Tv. “Senator Trump. ” X, 9 December 2024, https://x. com/Rt_Sports_Tv/status/1866113911294181495
“The truth about Trump. ” Trump’s truth, https://trumpstruth. org/search?end_date=
Laerke Christensen is a journalist in London, England, specializing in OSINT reporting.