Trump Has Snippy Response to Reporter’s Question About Elon Musk’s Time Mag Cover

Tommy ChristopherFeb 7th, 2025, 1:38 pm
 

A reporter confronted President Donald Trump over a new Time Magazine cover featuring Elon Musk “at your Resolute Desk” and drew a curious quip from Trump — the magazine’s most recent Person of the Year — on Friday.

Not only was Trump awarded the magazine’s famous prize in December, he sat for an extensive interview and celebrated the cover with a speech as he rang the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange in front of a giant image of the magazine.

But this week, the magazine unveiled a cover that seemed guaranteed to provoke Trump:

At a photo op with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba in the Oval Office, Trump seemed surprised to learn about the cover — and made a wisecrack about the publication that contradicted his celebration of it last year, but did draw laughter in the room.

He also pledged to make Musk available for questioning:

REPORTER: Mr. President, you have a reaction to the new Time Magazine cover that has Elon Musk sitting behind your Resolute Desk?

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: (SHAKES HEAD) No.

TRANSLATOR: (translates question)

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Is Time Magazine still in business? I didn’t even know that.

(LAUGHTER)

TRANSLATOR: (TRANSLATES RESPONSE)

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Elon is doing a great job. He’s finding tremendous fraud and corruption and waste. You see it with the USAID, but you’re going to see it even more so with other agencies and other parts of government.

He’s got a staff that’s fantastic. He’s wanted to be able to do this for a long time, but everybody else knew it was existent, but I think never so much. When you look at USAID, that’s a that’s a fraud. The whole thing is a fraud.

Very little. Very little being put to good use. Every single line that I look at in terms of events and transactions is either corrupt or ridiculous. And we’re going to be doing that through our government.

And I think we’re going to be very close to balancing budgets for the first time in many years. I think we’re going to be very close to in addition to monies coming in from tariffs, etc., etc.. But, you know, he’s doing a very good job. I’m very happy with it.

REPORTER: Will you put Elon Musk up on the podium for us to ask him some questions, Mr. President? Any point? Will you put Elon Musk up on the podium for us to ask him some questions?

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Oh sure. He’ll be– he is. He’s not shy. Elon’s not shy.

Watch above via Fox News.

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