Noureldein GhanemUS President-elect Donald Trump has dismissed claims that Elon Musk wields undue influence over his administration following the tech billionaire's prominent role in blocking a Congressional budget bill last week.
Speaking at the conservative group Turning Point USA's annual AmericaFest event on Sunday in Phoenix, the capital of the southwestern US state of Arizona, Trump rejected the idea that he had "ceded the presidency" to Musk, calling it a "hoax" pushed by his political opponents.
"No, he's not going to be president," he told a cheering crowd. "You know why he can't be? He wasn't born in this country."
While Musk's influence has drawn criticism from Democrats and some Republicans, Trump emphasised their shared goals, noting his recent appointment of Musk to lead the proposed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a non-governmental presidential advisory commission, is aimed at reducing federal spending.
'Golden age of America upon us'
The collaboration between Trump and Musk has spurred speculation about a potential rift, particularly as Musk's high-profile actions have earned him the nickname "President Musk" among critics.
Trump's son, Donald Trump Jr., however, downplayed any tensions, saying, "The media is trying to cause a schism to stop these two from achieving what they do best."
Despite the controversy, Trump's speech struck a celebratory tone.
Amid chants of "Trump! Trump! Trump!" and bursts of pyrotechnics, he declared that "the golden age of America is upon us."
Musk, born in South Africa, can't serve as a US president.
There are requirements for any person to become a US president or vice president; chief among them is that the candidate has to be a natural-born US citizen, meaning they were born on US soil.
