Elon Musk’s kid seemed to interrupt his father during a press briefing at the White House on Tuesday, mimicking him and subsequently asking one person to “shut your mouth”. The four-year-old was on his father’s shoulders in the Oval Office as the president prepared to sign an executive order related to Musk’s leadership of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). While speaking with reporters, Musk justified cuts to federal government programs and insisted on transparency in his work. However, as Musk was speaking, X Æ A-Xii instructed someone off camera to “sh” and “shut your mouth”. He also shoved his fingers into his father’s ears, which drew amusement from several reporters

He also stuck his fingers in his fathers ears, which attracted laughter from some reporters as Musk added: “I thought my son might enjoy this, but it’s, he’s sticking his fingers in my ears and stuff.

While Musk discussed their goal of “restoring democracy,” X mimicked his father. Musk apologized to reporters after X interrupted him, saying, “I tell you, gravitas can be difficult sometimes.” However, at the start of the conference, Trump lauded Musk’s son, describing him as a “high IQ individual”. The news conference focused on DOGE’s work, which has been attacked for its lack of transparency.

Musk, who heads the department, defended its work, claiming that he and Trump speak frequently and that he asks about what measures to do and where in the administration he should spend his attention. Speaking to reporters, Musk stated: “It’s not just us going in and doing things at random. “It’s done in collaboration with the agency heads, and I check in with the president on a regular basis to ensure that, you know, this is what the president wants to happen. “So we talk almost every day and I double check things to make sure is this something, Mr President, you want us to do, then we’ll do it.”

It comes as a judge temporarily halts moves to abolish USAID (US Agency for International Development), one of the world’s largest givers of humanitarian and development aid. The Trump administration is scheduled to deliver its case for abolishing USAID before a federal judge on Wednesday.

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