Youth Conservative Group 'Turning Point USA' Event Attendance
"Such Claims Are Fiction... I Like Smart People"
Indicates Early Meeting with Putin... "Must End Horrible War"
Also Announces Plans for Ads to Curb Drugs Like Fentanyl
Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, who has emerged as a close aide to President-elect Donald Trump, rebutted criticism from some quarters that he is acting like the president by saying, "He cannot become president." He also revealed that Russian President Vladimir Putin wants an early meeting to discuss the Ukraine war issue, suggesting the possibility of meeting him soon after taking office to discuss ending the war.
On the 22nd (local time), Trump attended the 'America Fest Conference' held by Turning Point USA, the largest youth conservative organization in the U.S., in Phoenix, Arizona, and said, "I like to have smart people," adding, "The claim that I handed over the presidency to CEO Musk is not true."
Trump said, "I can say that he (CEO Musk) will not become president," and added, "I am safe." He then explained, "Do you know why he cannot become president? Because he was not born in this country." To become U.S. president, one must be born in the U.S., but CEO Musk was born in South Africa, meaning legally he cannot become president.
Trump's "clarification" came amid growing concerns not only from the Democratic Party but also within the Republican Party about CEO Musk's expanding political influence. CEO Musk has stirred controversy by interfering in personnel matters of Trump's second-term administration and recently opposing the temporary budget bill agreed upon by both the Republican and Democratic parties, shaking congressional consensus. However, Trump continues to support CEO Musk, who greatly contributed to his election victory.
Trump also hinted at the possibility of an early meeting with President Putin after taking office in January next year.
He said, "President Putin told me he wants to meet me as soon as possible to discuss the Ukraine war." He added, "We have to wait, but the war must end," and described the war as "terrible and horrible." He also mentioned that "the only thing that can stop planes, bullets, and guns is the human body," referring to the many soldiers who have died in the war.
Earlier, Trump had repeatedly pledged to end the Ukraine war immediately after taking office in January next year. At his first press conference after winning the election on the 16th, he said he would talk with the leaders of Russia and Ukraine to achieve peace. After President Putin responded at his annual press conference on the 19th by saying, "I am ready to meet Trump," it is analyzed that Trump reiterated his intention to meet with both leaders soon after taking office to discuss ending the war. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also expressed his willingness to talk with Trump during a press conference held in Brussels, Belgium, on the 19th while attending the European Union (EU) summit, saying, "I hope President-elect Trump will stand on our side."
Additionally, Trump said on the same day that the fees for U.S. Navy and commercial ships are too high and that he might demand the Panamanian government return ownership of the Panama Canal. The U.S. gave up control of the Panama Canal under a treaty signed by then-President Jimmy Carter in 1977, but Trump is effectively "threatening" to reclaim it if Panama does not lower the fees.
He also reaffirmed his intention to scrap the Biden administration's green policies and increase fossil fuel production immediately upon taking office. Trump said, "On the first day of my presidency, I will end all of President Biden's regulations related to energy production," adding, "I will scrap the electric vehicle mandate, lift the ban on natural gas exports, reopen the world's largest oil reserve in Alaska, and declare a national energy emergency," indicating plans to resume oil and gas drilling in the U.S. He has criticized the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which focuses on expanding electric vehicles and other green policies, as a "Green New Scam." The IRA is an ambitious green bill pushed by the Biden administration to address the climate crisis and was passed in Congress under Democratic leadership.
He also announced plans to launch a major advertising campaign to curb drug use after taking office. Trump said, "We will advertise how bad drugs are," adding, "Drugs ruin your face, skin, and teeth. If you want terrible teeth, abuse fentanyl."
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