During an executive order signing event in the Oval Office on Tuesday, hosted by President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk, Musk's son seemed to steal the limelight. In a strange moment, the president even referred to the young boy as a "great guy, high-IQ individual. ". The executive order directs federal agencies to comply with Musk's Department of Government Efficiency or DOGE in their efforts to slash government spending. As Musk was addressing reporters with his son in front of him, the boy appeared to say something to the president and Trump seemed to angrily turn away.
The boy then appeared to say something else and Trump reached out to him in an apparent attempt to quiet the child while his father was speaking. At one point the child also appeared to pick his nose, this is normal behaviour for a child of his age, but perhaps not in the Oval Office. Musk has previously made a point of bringing his son, named X Æ A-Xii, but Musk usually refers to him simply as X, to many events during the campaign. Many on social media were quick to criticise Musk for bringing his son along on Tuesday, some even saying that he is using the child as a "prop.".
Elon Musk is facing resistance from federal courts regarding access to sensitive Treasury Department records and efforts to put thousands of USAID employees on leave. US District Judge Carl Nichols, appointed by Trump, blocked an order that would have abruptly placed overseas USAID workers on administrative leave, requiring them to relocate back to the U.S. within 30 days at government expense. The following day, U.S. District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer prevented DOGE from obtaining Treasury Department records containing personal data like Social Security and bank account numbers of millions of Americans.
Shortly after a joint press conference between Musk and Trump, a federal appeals court refused to stop a judge's order that mandated the release of billions in federal grants and loans, which states claim are still frozen despite a court blocking a broad pause on federal funding. The Boston-based 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals denied the emergency appeal but anticipated the lower court judge would swiftly clarify his order.
