Billionaire Elon Musk drew widespread attention when he appeared at the White House with a black eye during his farewell with U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday.

The tech billionaire offered a light-hearted explanation for the bruise, attributing it to a playful moment with his son.

"I was just horsing around with lil' X, and I said, 'go ahead punch me in the face,'" Musk, 53, told reporters.

"And he did. Turns out even a five-year-old punching you in the face actually is..." he continued, before pausing.

"I didn't really feel much at the time but I guess it bruises up."

The event marked Musk's final day leading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a role he previously said had grown frustrating.

Despite stepping down, Musk stated he would continue to serve as a "friend and advisor."

The farewell was partly overshadowed by a New York Times report alleging Musk used drugs heavily while campaigning alongside Trump in 2024. Trump, however, appeared unconcerned. "I didn't notice" the bruise, he said, adding, "X could do it, if you knew X."

Musk’s son, X Æ A-Xii, was a familiar figure in the White House during Musk’s tenure at DOGE, even sitting on his father’s shoulders during an Oval Office appearance in February and once being seen picking his nose near the Resolute Desk.

During the press conference, Musk also joked about French President Emmanuel Macron after a video emerged of Macron’s wife seemingly pushing the French leader’s face.
"I've got a little shiner here," Musk quipped with a laugh.

Wearing a DOGE baseball cap and a T-shirt reading "The Dogefather," Musk repeated the story behind the injury with humor when asked again about the bruise.

Source: NDTV