Trump Embraces Mini Elon’s White House Takeover With Heartwarming Gesture
The president signed an X with his finger before pointing to the child trailing behind in a viral clip.

Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
President Donald Trump appears to be finally warming to Elon Musk’s mini-me, X Æ A-12.
On Friday, the White House posted an image on X of the president with Musk’s son trailing behind with the caption “President Trump & Lil X.” Other photos and footage that have circulated widely on social media show the president walking with the 4-year-old, holding his hand, and lifting him aboard a waiting helicopter. In one clip, Trump signs the letter X with his index finger in the air, then points to the child and steps away.
The Palm Beach Post reported that Musk and Trump were on their way to Mar-a-Lago for the weekend.
Tweeting a photo of a smiling “Lil X” jumping in the air beside the president, Musk gushed, “That’s a happy picture 🥰”
President Trump & Lil X 🇺🇸 @elonmusk pic.twitter.com/ajhB66FpDP
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) March 14, 2025
X Æ A-12 has been a near-constant presence at the White House since his father took on weeding out “government waste” as the director of the Department of Government Efficiency.
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During a joint Oval Office conference with Musk and Trump in February, X stole the show as he shushed the sitting president and was photographed picking his nose. In photos from the meeting, Trump looked apprehensively at the child. But the White House’s post suggested the president has come to enjoy the presence of Musk’s son.
That’s a happy picture 🥰 https://t.co/wJ6CuR1umL
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 15, 2025
“So awesome. Probably great for President Trump too! Love seeing the relationship with you and Lil X. ❤️💪🚀👏,” one X commentator wrote.
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Another user added vintage photos of President John F. Kennedy with his kids and added, “Nice to see such a child friendly White House again.”
An X account called Trump Army added, “Like father, like son.🥰🥰” with a viral photo of Musk similarly jumping in the air at a MAGA rally.
Like father, like son.🥰🥰 pic.twitter.com/nPBRVOVxbW
— TRUMP ARMY (@TRUMP_ARMY_) March 15, 2025
Yet some had another take on the moment, with one commentator calling Trump a “glorified babysitter in service of the richest man on the planet.”
Political strategist Chris D. Jackson piled on, calling Musk’s rides with Trump a “waste” of taxpayer money.
🚨 NEW: Trump is off to Florida—again—where he’s spent 35% of his time golfing.
— Chris D. Jackson (@ChrisDJackson) March 14, 2025
And, of course, Elon Musk and his human shield are tagging along on the taxpayers' dime.
So I’ll ask again—why are we paying to house and chauffeur a South African billionaire?
Talk about waste. 🙄 pic.twitter.com/nKkT1ba1Cq
“Trump is off to Florida—again—where he’s spent 35% of his time golfing,” Jackson tweeted. “And, of course, Elon Musk and his human shield are tagging along on the taxpayers’ dime.”
He added, “Talk about waste. 🙄”

X Musk, the son of Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, stands next to U.S. President Donald Trump during an executive order signing in the Oval Office at the White House on February 11, 2025 in Washington, DC.
Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
X Æ A-12 is one of three kids Musk shares with pop star Grimes, who has publicly admonished Musk for putting their son in the spotlight. Last month, Musk confirmed that he had welcomed his 14th child, with Neuralink executive Shivon Zilis.
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