Elon Musk speaks alongside U.S. President Donald Trump to reporters in the Oval Office | Source: Getty Images
“Elon Musk made headlines after appearing alongside Donald Trump at the White House, sporting a noticeable bruise near his eye sparking a wave of public speculation, viral online theories, and curious remarks about his young son.”
At 53, Elon Musk — CEO of Tesla and SpaceX — drew widespread attention when he appeared at the White House alongside President Donald Trump with a visible bruise near his eye. The two were attending a farewell conference in the Oval Office when a curious reporter spotted the mark.
“I wanted to ask quickly, Mr. Musk, is your eye okay? What happened to your eye? I noticed there’s a bruise thing,” the reporter inquired in a video shared by CBS News.
Musk responded with a quip, brushing off the concern with humor: “I wasn’t anywhere near France, so…”
Puzzled, the reporter pressed, “What does that mean?” prompting Trump to glance over and remark, “I didn’t notice it, actually.”
Eventually, Musk explained the cause of the injury — a playful moment with his 5-year-old son, X Æ A-Xii, affectionately known as “X.”
“I was just horsing around with little X and I said, ‘Go ahead, punch me in the face.’ And he did,” Musk said with a laugh.
Trump, visibly surprised, asked, “That was X that did that?” Musk nodded, and Trump replied, “X could do it. If you knew X, he could do it.”
Musk elaborated, “I didn’t really feel much at the time. And then I guess it bruises up. But I was just horsing around with the kid, basically.”
Throughout the clip, the bruise — located at the outer corner of Musk’s eye — remained clearly visible: dark, slightly swollen, and notably uncovered by makeup.
Online, reactions to Elon Musk’s mysterious eye bruise were swift and divided. While some accepted his playful explanation, others were far more skeptical — and vocal about it.
On Facebook, one user quipped, “He’s been using the child as a human shield. He had it coming. That was for the American people! And especially the VETERANS.”
Another doubted the story altogether: “He lying. Ain’t no 5-year-old gave him a black eye.”
A third chimed in, “I don’t believe that’s true. A child that young can’t make a mark like that — can’t cut your eye and leave a bruise like that.”
Others took a more measured stance.
“I remember getting bruises just holding toddlers. They grab onto something and — bam — hit you. Or they throw their head back unexpectedly,” one user wrote.
Another added, “Sometimes people really do walk into low-hanging things, get clipped by a swinging door, or catch the corner of a car window frame while getting out.”
Amid the speculation, a lighter comment read: “X is a little cutie but throws a mean punch!!”
The buzz continued on Instagram, where the theories took a cheekier turn.
“Trump gave it to him 🙄🤣,” one commenter joked.
Another guessed, “Botox bruise.”
A third speculated, “Looks like he’s been crying.”
Brief as it was, the moment — and the bruise — stole the spotlight, quickly becoming a viral flashpoint across social media platforms.
Elon Musk looks on during a news conference with U.S. President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., on May 30, 2025.
Musk stands beside President Donald Trump at the Oval Office, his bruised eye immediately catching attention during the live press event.
Musk was speaking during the news conference, when a reporter took note of his curious black eye, sparking speculation about its origin.
With a purplish mark at the corner of his eye, Musk’s unexpected appearance quickly became the focus of Friday’s farewell conference.
Musk initially responded with a joke before giving a more straightforward explanation about the origin of the bruise.
When pressed about the injury, Musk casually explained that it was the result of playfully roughhousing with his five-year-old son, X Æ A-12.
Trump appeared surprised by the story and reacted with amusement.
Musk’s casual explanation did little to quell the buzz surrounding his unexpected appearance.
He went on to explain that he hadn’t noticed the bruise forming until later that day.
While speculation swirled, Musk maintained a relaxed demeanor, occasionally smiling as Trump addressed the press.
Trump, when asked by reporters, claimed he hadn’t noticed the bruise at all.
Online reactions ranged from disbelief to humor, with many users questioning whether a young child could have caused the injury.
Just days earlier, Musk, who made waves in U.S. politics as President Trump’s bold, cost-cutting ally, announced on May 28 that he was stepping down from his government role aimed at reducing federal spending.
Musk, who served as an adviser to Trump and led the Department of Government Efficiency, announced he would leave his role the Trump administration to refocus on his businesses.
The farewell event, meant to highlight Musk’s contributions to federal reform, instead fueled internet chatter about his mysterious injury.
As he said farewell to his government post, it was his bruised face, not his policies, that stole the spotlight.
Musk didn’t appear bothered by the attention, staying composed throughout the press event.
Whether caused by playtime or something else, Musk’s final appearance in the Trump administration left a mark — quite literally.
