Trump and Musk Avoid the Burning Topic of Cryptos During Their Interview

Elon Musk and Donald Trump form an unexpected duo, joining forces to face Kamala Harris, who is gaining ground in the polls. This Monday, the two men met on X (formerly Twitter) for a freewheeling discussion. To everyone’s surprise, despite their close ties with the crypto world, the topic was carefully avoided, leaving the crypto community perplexed.

Trump and Musk: The incredible tandem facing America’s challenges

According to Polymarket polls, Kamala Harris is crushing Trump, probably a popularity gained thanks to a new pro-crypto strategy. As for the interview between the former US president and Elon Musk, expected by millions of listeners on the X platform, it offered a show that was both entertaining and perplexing.

While the two men reviewed various topics such as inflation, the economy, and international politics, the topic of crypto, which is crucial for many of their supporters, remained completely absent from the conversation. This silence is all the more surprising given that Musk, as a pioneer in technology and cryptos, has played a key role in their popularization.

It is said that currently, Elon Musk holds up to 20% of the total supply of Dogecoin (DOGE).

Expectations were high, especially after recent conflicts between the SEC and crypto industry giants. The community hoped that Musk, with his growing influence on Trump, would address crypto policies, or at least the regulatory issues shaking the sector.

But instead, the billionaire focused on his desire to see the formation of a “commission for government efficiency”, even proposing to actively participate in it.

Meanwhile, Trump, true to himself, did not hesitate to criticize the Biden administration, accusing inflation of devastating Americans’ purchasing power. Nevertheless, he did not reiterate his decision to fire Gary Gensler at the Bitcoin Conference in Nashville.

The topics covered during the interview included:

• Inflation and the state of the US economy;
• Criticism of government regulation, particularly by the FDA;
• Discussion on a “commission for government efficiency”…

The absence of discussion on cryptos is all the more notable as both protagonists are seen as close to this industry. Musk, through Tesla and his involvement in crypto markets, and Trump, who had already shown some interest in Bitcoin, nevertheless sidestepped the topic, much to the dismay of cryptocurrency enthusiasts.

It is possible that this omission is a deliberate strategy, a way for Trump to stay focused on themes deemed more “mainstream” as the elections approach.

Crypto and DDoS: A Duality of Defense and Omission

A few hours before the interview, X, Musk’s platform, was hit by a massive DDoS attack. Despite stress tests conducted the day before, the attack caused a disruption, highlighting the persistent vulnerabilities of digital infrastructures.

We tested the system with 8 million concurrent listeners earlier today https://t.co/ymqGBFEJX0

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 13, 2024

This context gave Musk an opportunity to discuss the technical challenges faced by modern companies, particularly those involved in cryptos.

And yet, neither cybersecurity related to these virtual currencies nor the legal implications of recent battles between the SEC and the crypto industry were mentioned.

Elon Musk used this interview as a platform to promote his vision of a more efficient administration under Trump, while portraying himself as a potential actor for this change. Didn’t he propose becoming Trump’s unexpected crypto advisor at one point?

This lack of dialogue on such a hot topic leaves room for speculation. Musk, who has sometimes supported the rise of cryptos, sometimes sown doubt by displaying a complex relationship with these assets, seems to be playing a cautious game. The question remains: is this caution a sign of a new strategy, or simply a distraction from more immediate priorities for the 2024 election?