Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk appeared at the White House on his final day serving in the Trump administration with a noticeable black eye, prompting widespread curiosity about the injury.
Speaking to reporters, Musk clarified that the bruise was the result of a playful punch from his five-year-old son, X Æ A-Xii, known simply as “X.”
“I was just horsing around with lil’ X, and I said, ‘Go ahead, punch me in the face,’” Musk told reporters. “And he did. Turns out even a five-year-old punching you in the face actually is…” he trailed off, adding with a smile, “I didn’t really feel much at the time but I guess it bruises up.”
Musk’s appearance at the White House came as he marked his departure from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a federal agency he led to streamline government operations during the Trump administration. Musk, 53, has expressed mixed feelings about his tenure but confirmed he would remain a “friend and advisor” to the president.
President Donald Trump, hosting the press conference, remarked on the injury but said he “didn’t notice” the purple mark near Musk’s right eye. “X could do it, if you knew X,” Trump added, referring to Musk’s young son, who has made occasional appearances at the White House during Musk’s stint at DOGE.
The youngster was seen previously at official events, once sitting on Musk’s shoulders during his first Oval Office visit in February and even caught picking his nose next to Trump’s Resolute Desk, an image that quickly made headlines.
Musk also took a lighthearted jab at French President Emmanuel Macron following a recent viral video of Macron’s wife apparently shoving the French leader’s face. When asked about the black eye, Musk laughed and said, “I wasn’t anywhere near France,” before joking again, “I’ve got a little shiner here.”
The press conference, however, was overshadowed by a New York Times report alleging Musk’s heavy drug use during Trump’s 2024 campaign trail — an accusation Musk did not address during the event.
Musk’s time at DOGE was marked by an aggressive push to cut federal spending, often referred to as a “cost-cutting rampage,” which made headlines nationwide.
