Washington, D.C. — Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, raised eyebrows and drew gasps from reporters this week after arriving at the White House with a noticeable black eye. The tech mogul was there to mark the end of his temporary role leading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a Trump-era initiative aimed at rooting out bureaucratic bloat.

Musk’s unexpected injury quickly became the subject of media attention inside the Oval Office.

“What happened to your eye?” a reporter called out.

With his trademark wit, Musk replied, “Well, I wasn’t anywhere near France,” referencing a viral moment involving French President Emmanuel Macron. “I didn’t know the first lady of France isn’t a lieutenant.”

After the chuckles died down, Musk revealed the true source of the bruise.

“No, I just was horsing around with little X,” he said, referring to his five-year-old son, X Æ A-Xii. “And I said, ‘Go ahead, punch me in the face.’ And he did. Turns out even a 5-year-old punching you in the face… actually does this.”

President Donald Trump looked visibly surprised. “That was X that did that?” he asked.

“Yeah,” Musk confirmed.

“X could do it, if you knew X,” the president said with a grin, clearly amused.

Though Musk is wrapping up his 134-day stint as a special government employee, he made clear that the DOGE initiative is far from over.

“This is not the end of DOGE, but really the beginning,” Musk stated confidently.

President Trump praised Musk’s work, noting the uphill battle he faced from entrenched bureaucrats and partisan critics.

“Nobody liked him and he had to go through the slings and the arrows, which is a shame because he’s an incredible patriot. The good news is that 90% of the country knows that and they appreciate it and they really appreciate what he did,” said the president.

Musk elaborated on the future of DOGE, pledging that the movement would continue to expand and bear results for the American taxpayer.

“My time as a special government employee necessarily had to end. It was a limited-time thing. It was 134 days, I believe, which ends in a few days. So that, you know, it comes with a time limit. But the DOGE team will only grow stronger over time. The DOGE influence will only grow stronger,” he said.

In his signature philosophical style, Musk likened the efficiency program to a cultural shift: “I liken it to a sort of Buddhism. It’s like a way of life. So it is permeating throughout the government, and I’m confident that over time we’ll see $1 trillion of savings and a reduction in $1 trillion of waste and fraud.”

The results, he said, are already significant.

“The calculations of the DOGE team thus far, in terms of FY25 to FY26 delta, are over $160 billion, and that’s climbing. We expect that number will probably go over $200 billion soon. I think the DOGE team is doing an incredible job. They’re going to continue doing an incredible job. And I’ll continue to be visiting here and be a friend and adviser to the president. I look forward to, you know, times being back in this amazing room,” Musk added.

The atmosphere turned ceremonial when President Trump presented Musk with a symbolic “gold key to the White House,” prompting praise for the revamped Oval Office décor.

“By the way, isn’t this incredible? Like, this is incredible. I mean—it’s stunning. I think the way that the Oval Office—how the president has just completely redone the Oval Office—it’s beautiful,” Musk remarked.

Trump explained some of the design details: “I love the gold on the ceiling. Yeah. It’s been—for a long time—that was plaster. Nobody ever really saw it. They didn’t know the eagle was up there. And we highlighted it.”

“It’s essentially a landmark—a great landmark—and that’s 24-karat gold, and everybody loved it. Now they all see it when they come in. So it’s been good,” he added.

Musk concluded with a tribute to the renewed dignity of the executive office under President Trump.

“The Oval Office has—finally has—the majesty that it deserves, thanks to the president,” Musk said.

He reaffirmed his commitment to supporting the administration’s fight for government accountability and fiscal responsibility.

“So I look forward to continuing to be a friend and adviser to the president, continuing to support the DOGE team, and we are relentlessly pursuing $8 trillion in waste and reductions, which will benefit the American taxpayer,” he said.