Elon Musk Squirms When Asked About Foreign Student Ban: “Stick To Talking About Spaceships”

Elon Musk told a reporter to stick to talking about spaceships when he was questioned about U.S. President Donald Trump’s crackdown on foreign student enrollment.

The SpaceX and Tesla CEO was speaking to reporter David Pogue for CBS News Sunday Morning when he was questioned on tariffs and student visas.

“I noticed that all of your businesses involve a lot of components, a lot of parts. Do the tariffs and the trade wars affect any of this?” Pogue asked.

Elon Musk, originally from South Africa, dodged a question about student visas

Image credits: The White House

“Uhh, you know,” Musk said as he shrugged his shoulders. “Tariffs always affect things a little bit.”

Pogue then turned to Musk’s thoughts on student visas.

“What is your thought on the ban of foreign students, you were one of those kids, right?” Pogue asked Musk.

“I think we want to stick to the subject of the day, which is, like, spaceships, as opposed to, you know, presidential policy,” Musk responded.

“Oh, okay, I was told, ‘Anything’s good,’” a surprised Pogue said.

Image credits: CBS

“No,” Musk told him as he looked off camera, “Well…no.”

Musk, originally from South Africa, first came to the U.S. to attend the University of Pennsylvania, where he earned degrees in economics and physics.

After graduating, he briefly enrolled in a PhD program in applied physics at Stanford University on an F-1 student visa.

He dropped out just two days later to focus on entrepreneurial ventures in the tech industry, namely his first company, Zip2.

Last year, The Washington Post reported that Musk had briefly worked in the U.S. without correct authorization after dropping out in 1995.

Musk’s interview went great: Reporter: What is your thought on the ban of foreign students, you were one of those kids, right? Musk: “I think we want to stick to talking about spaceships.” Reporter: I was told that any topic is good. Musk: “Well no.”

pic.twitter.com/0rDg8ahxAO

— CALL TO ACTIVISM (@CalltoActivism) June 1, 2025

Musk has previously described his early immigration status as a “gray area,” acknowledging that he was “legally there” but was “meant to be doing student work.”

Legal experts told the outlet that even if foreign students are not getting paid, they cannot drop out of school to start a company.

Zip2 later sold for $300 million, and Musk transitioned from his student visa to work authorization and ultimately obtained permanent residency in the U.S.

Musk recently left Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) after spending the past months slashing federal government spending.

The world’s richest person had been serving as a special government advisor during Trump’s second term.

Musk recently left his role in the Department of Government Efficiency

Image credits: The White House

Due to his private sector roles, Musk was only able to work for the government for 130 days, and he announced his time was up on May 28.

His departure came after CBS released a snippet of an interview in which Musk criticized Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

However, they both said the disagreement had nothing to do with Musk stepping down, and Trump has since said that Musk is “not really leaving” and will be “back and forth.”

Since his departure, The New York Times has reported that Musk allegedly took large amounts of ketamine and regularly consumed ecstasy and psychedelic mushrooms during his time at DOGE.

In the interview with CBS, Musk opened up about his work at DOGE and how he feels about the administration after avoiding certain questions.

Image credits: Manuel Mazzanti/NurPhoto via Getty Images

“If there was some cut, real or imagined, everyone would blame DOGE,” Musk told Pogue.

He added that while he agreed with much of the policies, “it’s not like I agree with everything the administration does.”

“You know, there are things that I don’t entirely agree with,” Musk said. “But it’s difficult for me to bring that up in an interview because then it creates a bone of contention.

“So then, I’m a little stuck in a bind, where I’m like, well, I don’t wanna, you know, speak up against the administration, but I also don’t wanna take responsibility for everything this administration’s doing.”

His latest comments come amid Trump’s immigration crackdown, with foreign students–particularly those enrolling at Harvard–being targeted.

Image credits: The White House

The administration has instructed U.S. embassies around the world to stop scheduling new appointments for student visas.

It comes amid plans for social media vetting to be amped up.

A confidential cable, signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, came into order effective immediately on May 27.

It has delayed processing for thousands of international students aiming to start their studies in the U.S. this fall.

The cable states that the State Department “is conducting a review of existing operations and processes for screening and vetting of student and exchange visitor (F, M, J) visa applicants, and based on that review, plans to issue guidance on expanded social media vetting for all such applicants.”

The Trump administration has a hardline immigration policy

Rubio previously told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that he would continue to revoke visas and there would be “more to come.”

“There are more coming,” Rubio said. “We’re going to continue to revoke the visas of people who are here as guests and are disrupting our higher education.”

The Trump administration has also tried to block Harvard from enrolling international students and is locked in a court battle with the Ivy League school over it.