US President-elect, Donald Trump has dismissed speculation that billionaire Elon Musk would take over the presidency.
Speaking to a crowd of supporters, Trump dismissed claims that he had “ceded the presidency” to the billionaire entrepreneur, calling it another “hoax” spread by his political rivals.
Referring to memes and rumors circulating in social media, Trump told the audience, “No, no. That’s not happening. He’s not gonna be president.” He joked about Musk’s South African birthplace, adding, “You know why he can’t be [president]? He wasn’t born in this country”, reported Associated Press (AP).
Musk, currently the world’s richest man endorsed Trump during the election campaign after the president-elect survived an assassination attempt.
He also contributed an estimated $200 million to a Political Action Committee (PAC) supporting Trump.
Since then, Trump has picked Musk to lead the proposed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a panel aimed at drastically reducing federal spending.