President-elect Donald Trump sent a clear message, Sunday — amid talk on Capitol Hill and in the media that Elon Musk is calling the shots in Trump’s second term.

In a speech at a Turning Points USA forum in Phoenix, the president-elect was unequivocal in declaring that there is a ceiling to Musk’s rise.

“No, he’s not taking the presidency,” Trump said — before taking a shot at the media by claiming talk of a power struggle with Musk is a hoax. “They’re on a new kick. Russia, Russia, Russia… Ukraine, Ukraine, Ukraine… all the different hoaxes. And the new one is President Trump has ceded the presidency to Elon Musk. No, no, that’s not happening.”

Talk of Musk’s outsized influence ramped up this week as he took a prominent role in the budget negotiations on Capitol Hill. The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) chief was instrumental in tanking a bipartisan deal which had been reached to fund the government by stirring up opposition with a series of posts on his social media platform X.

As the negotiations got more contentious, Democrats sarcastically called Musk “Mr. President” — and snidely alluded to the DOGE chief essentially running the country rather than Trump.

Both Trump’s team and Musk have tried to downplay such talk as Democrats trying to drive a wedge between the two. But Republicans are also referring to Musk in a similar fashion

Earlier Sunday on Face the Nation, Republican Congressman Tony Gonzales (TX) talked up the DOGE chief’s power by saying “it feels as if Elon Musk is our prime minister.”

But Trump quickly rejected the idea that Musk is now — or ever will be — the commander-in-chief.

“No, he’s not going to be president, that I can tell you,” Trump said.

The president-elect proceeded to fire off a snarky jab at Musk as well

“You know why he can’t be [president]? He wasn’t born in this country,” Trump said, laughing. “But the fake news knows that.”

Watch above, via Fox News.

The post ‘He’s Not Gonna Be President!’ Trump Sends Clear Message About Elon Musk — Amid Talk from Critics That DOGE Chief is Now Trump’s Puppet Master first appeared on Mediaite.

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