Trump made his remarks in front of thousands at the annual Turning Point conference, one of the nation’s largest gatherings of conservative activists.
Turning Point has invested huge resources in swing-state voter efforts to support Trump and other Republicans on the campaign trail.
It was his first speech since Congress passed a deal this week to keep the US government open after removing several provisions, including one that raised the nation’s debt ceiling.
Trump has supported raising the debt ceiling, which limits the amount of money the US government can borrow.
But he avoided the question entirely in his speech on Sunday, instead summarizing his election victory and touching on issues — including immigration, crime and foreign trade — that have been the backbone of his campaign.
However, he did mention Elon Musk.
“You know, they’re on a new path,” he said. “All different deceptions. The new thing is that President Trump has ceded the presidential chair to Elon Musk.”
“No, no, that’s not happening,” he said. “He will not be president.”
Several speakers at the conference were critical of government spending and policies of both parties — but the divisions within the Republican Party that have played out in Congress in recent days have been largely muted.
