Elon Musk joined Joe Rogan’s podcast on Friday and talked about several hot topics, from politics to technology. He defended Donald Trump, criticised Democrats’ immigration stance, and questioned the death of an OpenAI whistleblower. Musk also discussed an AI future where most jobs could be automated and hinted that Tesla’s upcoming Roadster might actually be able to fly.

1) Trump, media, and the “not evil” line

Musk told Rogan that Trump “is not perfect, but… not evil,” adding the media treats him as “super evil.”

“Some people still think, you know, Trump is like the devil, basically,” said Musk. “And, I mean, I think, I think Trump actually is not perfect, but, but he’s not evil. Trump is not evil. I spent a lot of time with, with him, and he’s, I mean, he’s a product of his time, but he is not, he’s not evil.”

The interview also revisited the men’s falling-out over spending and their recent thaw, reporting around the show noted Musk’s companies have won fresh federal work.

He went further on policy, praising mass-deportation efforts and accusing Democrats of seeking to “destroy democracy” by importing voters, claims he linked to the shutdown standoff. Rogan agreed Trump isn’t “evil.” (Again, these are Musk’s political opinions; not verified claims.)

Also, “If Trump had lost, there would never have been another real election again. Because Trump is actually enforcing the border … There’ll be cases where they’ve been overzealous in expelling illegals,” Musk said. “But if you say that the standard must be perfection for expelling illegals, then you will not get any expulsion, because perfection is impossible.”

Musk asserted that, in contrast to Trump, the Democratic Party wants more illegal immigrants to enter the United States. He said their desire was what motivated their decision to shut down the government on Oct. 1 and refuse to reopen it.

2) The OpenAI whistleblower claim

Musk questioned the official account of former OpenAI engineer Suchir Balaji’s death, citing details he said seemed suspicious and urging more scrutiny. Authorities have said Balaji died by suicide in November 2024; Musk’s speculation has not been corroborated.

3) AI and the End of Work: Musk Predicts Phones, Jobs Will Vanish

Musk said AI and robotics will “replace all human jobs,” creating a “universal high-income society where work becomes optional.” He predicted that within five to six years, nearly all content — “music, videos, articles, everything” — will be AI-generated.

He also claimed traditional phones and apps will disappear, replaced by “edge-node devices” — small wearables that connect directly to AI systems without operating systems or app stores. Musk added that xAI’s Grok model aims to be “truth-seeking,” unlike other chatbots he says are shaped by political bias.

Finally, he teased XChat, an end-to-end encrypted messaging system to replace Twitter DMs, featuring “peer-to-peer encryption, file sharing, and calls” — a sign that Musk’s vision of a fully AI-integrated communication world may not be far off.

In video: Elon Musk’s claiming he bought Twitter to combat the “destruction at a civilizational level” caused by the platform … especially with what he calls a spike in kids identifying as trans — something he insists dropped after he took over as X boss.

4) Tesla’s Roadster and SpaceX milestones

Eight years ago, Musk promoted a next-generation Roadster, basing the name of the sports car on the company’s debut electric vehicle from 2008. The updated version has yet to hit production. But Musk is again promising that a new one is on the way.

In a discussion, Musk was asked about the long-delayed vehicle. He provided a sense of timing but declined to share updated technical or design details.

Musk said the next Tesla Roadster could be capable of flight and previewed an unveiling “before the end of 2025,” calling its tech “crazier than all the James Bond cars.” He also said SpaceX’s Starbase has been incorporated as a city and is targeting full rocket reusability within a year to cut launch costs by ~100×.

Why it matters

  • Market sentiment: Musk’s Rogan appearances often ripple through tech and crypto chatter. The flying Roadster soundbite and AI-replaces-jobs narrative feed both hype and skepticism around his timelines and ambitions.
  • Policy & perception: His immigration and shutdown commentary will energize supporters and critics alike, reinforcing Musk’s growing role as a political influencer—well beyond cars, rockets, and chips.

In the video, Elon Musk talks about America’s debt crisis.

  • Misinformation risk: The Balaji speculation underscores the line between freewheeling podcast talk and verifiable facts; official reporting still lists the death as suicide.

Musk’s latest Rogan turn mixed politics, provocation, and product teases. Supporters will hear visionary clarity; critics will see polarising claims and unproven allegations. Either way, the episode keeps Musk at the center of the AI, autos, and culture-war conversation—and gives markets fresh soundbites to trade on.

Headline takeaways

  • On Trump: Musk said the president is “not perfect” and “not evil,” arguing media portrayals are exaggerated; he framed Trump as a “product of his time.”
  • On immigration & politics: He backed aggressive border enforcement, claimed Democrats want to “import voters,” and tied these politics to the recent shutdown fight. (These are Musk’s assertions, not established facts.)
  • On OpenAI whistleblower Suchir Balaji: Musk suggested “all signs point to it being a murder,” despite authorities listing the 26-year-old’s 2024 death as a suicide.
  • On AI & tech: Musk predicted AI/robotics will replace all jobs, pitched a coming “edge-node” device era that kills apps/OSes, mentioned an end-to-end encrypted XChat, and said Tesla’s next Roadster could fly.
  • On SpaceX: He said Starbase is now a city and aimed at full rocket reusability to slash launch costs by 100×.

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