Musk Appears at White House with Bruised Eye: "Got It While Playing with My Son"

"Explaining, 'My five-year-old son X hit me'"
Trump agrees: "If it's X, that makes sense"

Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, drew attention when he appeared at the White House with a bruise near his eye during a meeting with President Donald Trump, their first in a while.

On the 30th (local time), Musk attended an informal press conference held in the Oval Office by President Trump, who wanted to commend federal government restructuring and spending reduction efforts. Musk wore a black cap embroidered with "DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency)," the agency he led, and the area around his right eye appeared slightly swollen and bruised purple.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk with a bruise near his right eye. Photo by Reuters

When a reporter asked Musk if he was alright, Musk explained that the injury resulted from playing with his five-year-old son, X, after he told his son to "give it a try," and his son struck him in the face. President Trump, who had just observed Musk reacting nervously to a New York Times (NYT) report about alleged drug use, looked intrigued when he heard Musk's explanation for the bruise. Trump said, "I didn't know (about the bruise on Musk's eye)," then shifted in his seat to take a closer look at the injury and asked, "Did X do that?"

After a brief pause, Trump added, "X could do that. For anyone who knows X, of course, they could see that happening." Musk replied, "I didn't feel much when it happened, but it ended up leaving a bruise." X is Musk's son with Canadian singer Grimes, and his full name is X Æ A-Xii. President Trump has met X several times in person.

Elon Musk and his son X Æ A-Xii, who visited the White House together last February. Photo by AP Yonhap News

Musk appeared at the White House press event last February carrying X on his shoulders, and last month, he brought X to a UFC mixed martial arts event in Miami, where they watched the match together with President Trump. Musk's term as a special government employee in the Trump administration, which lasted 130 days, ended on this day. President Trump presented Musk with a golden key as a farewell gift. Some have interpreted the key, which features an engraving of the White House on its case, as a symbol that Musk is welcome to visit the White House at any time.

The NYT commented, "Musk's government restructuring project ended without coming close to the $1 trillion spending cut he had promised. His business and public image have taken a beating, and now, so has his face."