President Donald Trump’s response to Time Magazine’s latest cover, which many saw as a blatant attempt to troll him, is nothing short of brilliant. In typical Trump fashion, he swiftly turned the tables, using the magazine’s mockery to his advantage and drawing attention to his achievements while turning the spotlight back onto his critics. His quick-witted reaction highlights his knack for commanding the narrative, proving again that he's always ready to fight back when the left-wing media takes aim.
On Friday, during a press conference with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, reporters asked Trump about Time Magazine’s latest front cover, which has Elon Musk sitting behind the president’s resolute desk.
In an apparent attempt to troll Trump, the magazine's effort backfired spectacularly.
“Is Time magazine still in business?” Trump asked. “I didn’t even know that.”
REPORTER: “Mr. President, do you have a reaction to the new Time Magazine cover that has Elon Musk sitting behind your resolute desk?”
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) February 7, 2025
TRUMP: “Is Time magazine still in business? I didn’t even know that..."
😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/6nnEVQFbNr
This comes as many left-wing pundits accuse Musk of running the United States rather than Trump.
The Guardian published an op-ed titled, "It is Elon Musk who is now running the United States. Not Donald Trump."
The accusations went so far that Trump's team was forced to release a statement, making it clear that Trump is the one in charge of the Republican Party — not Musk.
Rep. Pramilla Jayapal claimed that Musk is the."shadow president" or the "co-president" of the United States.
It’s clear who’s in charge, and it’s not President-elect Donald Trump.
— Rep. Pramila Jayapal (@RepJayapal) December 18, 2024
Shadow President Elon Musk spent all day railing against Republicans’ CR, succeeded in killing the bill, and then Trump decided to follow his lead. pic.twitter.com/feDiAXe8yp
"As soon as President Trump released his official stance on the CR, Republicans on Capitol Hill echoed his point of view," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said. "President Trump is the leader of the Republican Party. Full stop."
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