Medication, marital recommendation and that black eye: key takeaways from Trump’s Oval Workplace send-off for Elon Musk

1. ‘Elon’s not likely leaving,’ says Trump

Musk “is actually not leaving” and lots of of his Doge group will keep on within the administration, Trump informed reporters on what was meant to be Musk’s official final day as a “particular authorities worker”.

“Elon is actually not leaving,” Trump stated. “He’s going to be backwards and forwards. I believe I’ve a sense it’s his child, and I believe he’s going to be doing a whole lot of issues.”

Musk later declared “this isn’t the tip of Doge however actually the start”, including he’ll proceed to go to the White Home as a “good friend and adviser” to the president.

“I hope to proceed to supply recommendation each time the president would really like,” Musk stated. “I hope so,” Trump replied.

2. Each sought to downplay rumours of a rift

Trump praised Musk as “one of many biggest enterprise leaders and innovators the world has ever produced” and paid glowing tribute to the tech billionaire’s “sweeping and consequential” efforts to slash the federal workforce and cut back the scale of presidency.

The lavish reward got here simply days after Musk publicly criticised Trump’s tax spending invoice, saying he was “disenchanted” with it and claiming it “undermines the work that the Doge group is doing”.

Musk’s feedback appeared to point that the honeymoon between the 2 males was over, however on Friday, there have been no indicators of friction between the pair.

Trump introduced Musk with a big golden key emblazoned with the White Home insignia, which he stated he solely gave to “very particular individuals” as a thank-you from the nation.

3. Musk sports activities a black eye – and blames his son

Musk attended the press convention sporting a black Doge cap, a black jacket and a black T-shirt with the phrases ‘The Dogefather’ – in addition to a visibly bruised proper eye.

Requested concerning the bruise, Musk stated his five-year-old son, X Æ A-12, had punched him within the face: “I used to be simply horsing round with X and I stated: ‘Go forward, punch me within the face.’ And he did.”

“I didn’t actually really feel a lot on the time,” he added. “However I suppose it bruises up.”

Musk quipped that he wasn’t “wherever close to France” on the time, a reference to a viral video showing to indicate French president Emmanuel Macron’s spouse, Brigitte, pushing Macron within the face.

4. Trump affords marital recommendation to Macron

Requested concerning the video of Macron and his spouse and whether or not he had any “marital recommendation” for the couple, Trump replied: “Make sure that the door stays closed.”

“He’s high-quality. They’re high-quality,” Trump added. “They’re two actually good individuals I do know very nicely, and I don’t know what that was all about, however I do know him very nicely, and so they’re high-quality.”

5. Musk dodges a query about alleged drug use

Musk dismissed a New York Instances report about his alleged drug use whereas serving as one in every of Trump’s closest advisers. “Let’s transfer on,” he stated when requested concerning the article, earlier than railing towards the paper for his or her “lies about the Russiagate hoax”.

In response to the Instances, Musk engaged in intensive drug consumption throughout his rise to political prominence, usually consuming ketamine, ecstasy and psychedelic mushrooms. His common remedy field contained tablets bearing Adderall markings alongside different substances, the paper stated.

His use of ketamine was so frequent that he informed individuals it precipitated bladder issues, the report says. Sources informed the paper that he consumed the highly effective anaesthetic typically every day reasonably than the “small quantity” taken “about as soon as each two weeks” he claimed in interviews.