Fact Check: Did Elon Musk share post claiming Donald Trump will 'do anything I tell him to do'?
WASHINGTON, DC: A post credited to Elon Musk making a bizarre claim about Donald Trump has been doing the rounds on the internet.
Musk, according to the alleged post, boasted about the power he wields over Donald Trump.
The Tesla CEO and the presidential-elect have become quite close lately, especially after the former one helped Trump in winning the 2024 presidential election by spending around $200 million. So the internet was reasonably fooled.
Musk was reportedly present at Mar-a-Lago for the Thanksgiving celebration with the Trump family. He also danced to the Village People's ‘YMCA’ song.
🇺🇸Hope you had a great Thanksgiving!🇺🇸 https://t.co/CQMGaAODKq
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 29, 2024
Claim: Photo shared on Facebook shows Elon Musk saying Donald Trump will 'do anything I tell him to do'
The November 17 post shared on Facebook claimed that Elon Musk had said, “Lib media already trying to create a schism between me and Trump, saying I’m overstaying my welcome at Mar a Lago, that I’m annoying him, ha!!!”
“Trump and I are as solid as can be. He knows I got him elected and he’s going to do anything I tell him to do,” he added in the social media share, as reported by USA Today.
The publication also reported that the post has been re-shared numerous times, including on Threads and X.
Proof: Did Musk really make such a claim?
The Facebook post is fake. It reportedly first appeared on Reddit on a section that said, “All posts in this subreddit should be considered ironic/ parodic/ satirical unless they are flared as \*Real\* *and have a relevant, trustworthy source in the comments.”
Also, if we check Musk’s X page, nowhere can we find the post, not even an archived one.
The Reddit post even came with a disclaimer that said, “This post includes false information according to third-party fact-checkers.”
Another document clarified that the person who shared the fabricated post was a “fake tweet writer.”
Donald Trump does not always agree with Elon Musk
Donald Trump and Elon Musk are closely bonded currently. As per Brian Hughes, a spokesperson for the Trump transition team said, “Elon Musk and President Trump are great friends and brilliant leaders working together to Make America Great Again.”
“Elon Musk is a once-in-a-generation business leader, and our federal bureaucracy will certainly benefit from his ideas and efficiency,” Hughes mentioned.
However, the Republican leader does not always prefer Musk’s suggestions, especially choosing candidates for his second term as president.
The 53-year-old businessman was reportedly favoring Wall Street financier Howard Lutnick for treasury secretary but Trump wanted former Soros Fund Management executive Scott Bessent for the role. However, later Lutnick was named commerce secretary.
A Trump ally has said, as per USA Today, that Musk’s hold on the microblogging site “doesn’t mean he’s an effective advocate for his positions or chosen cabinet members.”
“He's still learning how to operate in politics,” they added.
