Elon Musk Explains Black Eye at Oval Farewell: ‘My Son Punched Me’

Washington: Elon Musk stirred curiosity and social media chatter after showing up with a black eye during his final day at the White House, where he bid farewell to U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday.

The tech billionaire offered a surprisingly casual explanation when questioned about the bruise — his five-year-old son, X Æ A-Xii, had delivered the blow.

“I was just fooling around with little X and told him, ‘Go ahead, punch me in the face,’” the 53-year-old said with a laugh. “And he did. Turns out, even a five-year-old’s punch can leave a mark.” Musk added that he hadn’t felt much pain at the time but later noticed the bruising.

The press conference was organized to mark Musk’s departure from his role as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) — a satirical title nodding to Musk’s meme-inspired reputation. Despite stepping down, Musk affirmed he would continue to be a “friend and advisor” to Trump.

The bruise wasn’t the only topic of interest. Musk’s farewell comes amid a New York Times report alleging he used drugs heavily during Trump’s 2024 campaign. Trump downplayed the black eye, remarking, “If you know X, you’d believe it.”

Musk, wearing a DOGE cap and a T-shirt with “The Dogefather,” used the opportunity to poke fun at French President Emmanuel Macron. When asked about a viral video of Macron being shoved by his wife, Musk quipped, “I wasn’t anywhere near France.”

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