On Tuesday, Donald Trump took to Truth Social to address why his voice sounded “strange” during his interview with Elon Musk on Monday. Following speculation about a potential lisp or slurring, Trump attributed the issue to modern audio equipment and cellphone technology, which he claimed made his voice sound different.
“Unfortunately, because of the complexity of modern day equipment, and cellphone technology, my voice was, in certain areas, somewhat different and strange,” Trump wrote. “Therefore, we have put out an actual, and perfect, recording of the conversation. ENJOY!!!”
Trump shared what he called the “perfect recording” of their two-hour conversation on his X account, formerly Twitter. This new version of the interview presents his voice much more clearly compared to the original livestreamed recording.
The interview was first broadcast on X’s Spaces feature, which hosts live audio conversations. In the initial recordings, including those posted by Musk and Trump, some viewers noted that Trump’s speech appeared slurred. This led to various speculations on social media, with some suggesting he might use dentures.
The BBC’s live blog of the conversation noted a surge of posts mentioning “slurring” and “dentures,” which prompted a response from Trump’s spokesperson Steven Cheung, who dismissed the concerns as a matter of “your hearing.”
The new recording Trump shared seems to have been made with a device closer to him, contrasting with the original livestream that experienced technical issues, including a 40-minute delay.
In his Truth Social post, Trump highlighted the interview’s impressive audience size and praised Elon Musk for his endorsement. “My conversation with Elon last night was heard by a RECORD audience and was truly special, thanks to Elon for such a strong endorsement!” Trump wrote.
Musk, who owns X, has been known to use his platform to amplify right-wing conspiracies, reiterated his support and endorsement of Trump during his conversation with him.
Despite the technical hiccups, the interview garnered millions of views. During their discussion, Trump made several claims that went unchallenged, though a BBC fact-check later identified some of his statements as false or misleading.
The interview coincides with a challenging period for Trump’s electoral campaign, as he faces increasing competition from Kamala Harris, who has been gaining ground in polls and drawing large crowds to her rallies.
