Elon Musk’s highly anticipated discussion with Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump on his platform X was plagued by technical issues. The conversation, where Musk posed friendly questions on topics like immigration and inflation, started over 40 minutes late due to widespread access problems for users.

Billed as an interview, Trump made several unchallenged, unsubstantiated claims during the session. Musk reiterated his support for Trump, who is facing a resurgent Democratic candidate, Vice-President Kamala Harris, in the upcoming November election. Musk attributed the glitches to a cyber-attack, though one expert told the BBC that this explanation was unlikely.

The conversation took place as Trump attempts to rejuvenate his re-election campaign following the entry of Harris, which has tightened the race. Musk, who has become increasingly influential in political circles, has recently been involved in a new political committee supporting Trump’s campaign.

In the discussion, Musk described Trump as “the path to prosperity,” contrasting him with Harris. They covered a range of issues, including a recent assassination attempt on Trump, his desire for an “Iron Dome” missile defense system similar to Israel’s, and immigration, a central theme of his campaign. Trump also considered shutting down the federal Department of Education, shifting its responsibilities to the states as one of his first actions if elected.

The relationship between Musk and Trump has evolved over the years, with the two exchanging online jabs in the past.