The Oval Office generally maintains a rather formal air. But when Elon Musk’s 4-year-old son, X Æ A-Xii (known as X), waltzed in on Feb. 11, he made himself right at home.
As Musk greeted the press and talked about the new Department of Government Efficiency, X had a field day making monster noises, sticking his fingers in his dad’s ears, plopping himself on the floor and picking his nose while leaning over the Resolute Desk.
X visits the Oval Office with his dad, Elon Musk. Andrew Harnik / Getty Images
Canadian musician Grimes (legally named Claire Elise Boucher) is the mother of three of Musk’s 12 biological children — including X — and she expressed her disapproval of X’s public appearance on social media.
An X user named @sisisimon wrote to Grimes: “Lil X was very polite today! You raised him well. He was so cute when he told DJT ‘Please forgive me, I need to pee.'”
“He should not be in public like this,” she replied almost immediately. “I did not see this, thank u for alerting me. But I’m glad he was polite. Sigh.”
President Donald J. Trump introduced X to the small audience in the room, saying, “This is X, and he’s a great guy. High IQ. He’s a high IQ individual.”
X used those smarts to torment his father.
At one point, Musk put X on his shoulders. Looking bored, X ran one hand through his dad’s hair while sticking the fingers of his other hand in his father’s ear.
Elon Musk’s 4-year-old son tried to get Musk’s attention … by sticking his fingers in his dad’s ears.Jim Watson / AFP via Getty Images
“I thought my son might enjoy this,” Musk laughed nervously, “but he’s sticking his fingers in my ears and stuff. So it’s been hard to hear sometimes. Hey! Stop that!”
Musk and Grimes have had an on-again, off-again relationship through the years. In addition to X, the couple also shares two other children: daughter Exa Dark Sideræl, 3, and Techno Mechanicus, 2. Grimes filed a court petition to establish parental rights in Sept. 2023 after the couple broke up.
Grimes seemingly attempted to distance herself from her ex after his problematic gesture at Trump’s inauguration in January.
Like father, like son.Andrew Harnik / Getty Images
“I am not him,” she wrote of Musk. “I will not make a statement every time he does something.”
She added, “To be clear, I could go talk sh– and be on a bunch of magazine covers and be a feminist hero and get clout — but it would serve no purpose. I choose my children’s wellbeing.”
