Trump has epic response to Time cover putting Elon Musk behind Resolute desk

President Donald Trump issued a classic response to TIME Magazine’s latest dig at his administration.

Reflecting leftist talking points about Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), TIME published a cover featuring Musk behind the iconic Resolute Desk. This is a nod to the conspiracy that he is in charge of a “shadow government” that is working behind Trump, with some critics even going as far as to say that Musk is the real president.

Look:

TIME’s new cover: Inside Elon Musk’s war on Washington https://t.co/95Qictx4zP pic.twitter.com/QZ73CZqtnM

— TIME (@TIME) February 7, 2025

The cover caused quite a stir, and a reporter asked Trump if he had any reaction:

REPORTER: Do you have a reaction to the new Time Magazine cover that has Elon Musk sitting behind your resolute desk?

TRUMP: No. Is Time Magazine still in business? I didn’t even know that. Elon is doing a great job. pic.twitter.com/AUXoNOed5F

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) February 7, 2025

“Is Time Magazine still in business? I didn’t even know that,” the president quipped, prompting laughter from those in attendance.

“Elon is doing a great job, he’s fighting tremendous fraud and corruption and waste,” Trump continued, praising the billionaire. “You see it with USAID but you’re gonna see it even more so with other agencies and other parts of government. He’s got a staff that’s fantastic, he’s wanted to be able to do this for a long time, and everybody else knew it was existent, but I think never so much, when you look at USAID, that’s a fraud, the whole thing is a fraud. Very little being put to good use.”

X users reacted:

They really are irrelevant and unserious. Trump’s right, Elon is doing a wonderful job! Trump too!

— J Byrd (@ByrdJames37364) February 7, 2025

We love Elon and DOGE! Keep looking at the books. Keep finding the fraud and corruption wasting our hard earned tax dollars!

— Sherri (@SherriVermaat) February 7, 2025

President Trump’s and WE THE PEOPLE’s war on the deep state. Not Elon Musk.

Fake news. You guys have been exposed. TOO DIRTY, TOO BIG. pic.twitter.com/Y2xaLY2s7Q

— Kokoro-hime (@KokoroHime) February 7, 2025

America voted for DOGE pic.twitter.com/iO3UYkWzjq

— Roaring Morning (@RoaringMorning) February 7, 2025

pic.twitter.com/RL4ciVO8J2

— Groovy Lava (@MedicGroovy) February 7, 2025

Are you guys embarrassed, at all, that you’ve turned a once-great magazine into nothing more than predictable, unprincipled, witless @DNC propaganda?

— Geoffrey Miller (@primalpoly) February 7, 2025

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