Did somebody beat him up ..., speculations go viral as Elon Musk turns up with Black eye at the White House; he says he got it while ...
Image credits: X/@consequence
Billionaire
Elon Musk
sparked intense speculation when he appeared with a Black eye for his Oval Office farewell with US President Donald Trump on Friday, May 30, 2025. The shiner seemed a fitting metaphor for his tumultuous 130-day stint as a 'special government employee' leading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). His right eye socket was visibly swollen and purpled—a clear, unmistakable bruise. His businesses and public image took a hit, and now, it seemed, so had his face. Did somebody beat him up?
Musk, however, offered a lighthearted explanation: His five-year-old son, X Æ A-Xii, had punched him during a playful moment. 'I was horsing around with lil' X, and I said, 'go ahead, punch me in the face,'' the 53-year-old South African-born tech mogul told reporters. 'He did. Turns out, even a five-year-old's punch can leave a mark. I didn't feel much at the time, but it bruises up.'
The press conference, hosted by Trump to mark Musk's final day at DOGE, was overshadowed by a New York Times report alleging Musk's heavy drug use during Trump's 2024 campaign. Trump claimed he 'didn't notice' the bruise but quipped, 'X could do it, if you knew X,' referring to Musk's son, who often accompanied his father at the White House. X Æ A-Xii notably appeared on Musk's shoulders during his first Oval Office visit in February 2025 and was once spotted picking his nose by Trump's 'Resolute' Desk.
Musk, sporting a DOGE baseball cap and a 'The Dogefather' T-shirt, seized the moment to poke fun at French President Emmanuel Macron. Referencing a video of Macron's wife seemingly shoving the French leader's face, Musk grinned and said, 'I've got a little shiner here, but I wasn't anywhere near France.' Despite stepping down, Musk vowed to remain a 'friend and advisor' to Trump, though he expressed growing disillusionment with the DOGE role.
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