Washington, D.C. — Elon Musk made headlines at the White House on Friday, not just for ending his controversial tenure in the Trump administration, but for sporting a conspicuous black eye — which, according to Musk, was courtesy of his 5-year-old son.
Appearing alongside President Donald Trump in the Oval Office, Musk faced questions from reporters about the bruise visible on his right eye. With characteristic deadpan humor, the billionaire CEO explained that he’d been “horsing around” with his son, known publicly as X.
“I said, ‘Go ahead, punch me in the face.’ And he did,” Musk recounted with a slight grin.
Trump, standing nearby, jumped in. “That was X that did that?… X could do it. If you knew X.”
Before giving the straight answer, Musk had dodged initial questions with a cryptic quip: “I wasn’t anywhere near France,” referencing a recent viral incident involving French First Lady Brigitte Macron allegedly shoving him — a claim widely circulated online but not confirmed.
Musk clarified that he didn’t feel much pain at the time of the punch, but the bruising showed up later.
The playful explanation came during an official event marking Musk’s departure from his formal advisory role, where he had spearheaded a high-profile — and often polarizing — cost-cutting initiative aimed at overhauling parts of the federal government. While his efforts triggered disruption and scrutiny, they ultimately fell short of the long-term savings he had promised.
Musk now returns to focus fully on his private ventures, including Tesla, SpaceX, and X (formerly Twitter), but his stint in government has left an indelible mark — and, for now, a visible one on his face.