Trump Couldn't Get Elon Musk Off The Stage Fast Enough At Pre-Inauguration Rally

In the days leading up to the 2024 presidential election and beyond, Elon Musk and President Donald Trump have undoubtedly developed a bromance. Though Trump, himself, accidentally confirmed Musk was getting super annoying not long after he won the election, Musk also spent millions on Trump's campaign, thus making it clear why the president kept him around, even after the proceedings came to a close.

At Trump's pre-inauguration victory rally in Washington, D.C., on January 19, 2025, Musk joined the incoming president onstage to commemorate his January 20, 2025, inauguration. Musk took the stage and, in his usual fashion, made the situation awkward. He said little to keep listeners engaged in his speech as he stammered his way through his remarks about Trump's victory, his role in the Department of Government Efficiency, and how they both plan on transforming the government. "We're looking forward to making a lot of changes," Musk said. "This victory is the start, really. What matters going forward is to actually make significant changes, cement those changes, and set the foundation for America to be strong for centuries, forever." 

Though Trump seemingly gestured for his ally to vacate the area after his speech concluded, Musk apparently failed to catch the hint and lingered on the stage to celebrate with his son, X, and soak in the crowd's energy for a little longer until Trump, again, signaled for him to leave.

It's no secret by now that Elon Musk was quite enthusiastic about being by President Donald Trump's side throughout the 2024 presidential election. As a reward for his loyalty, Trump notably appointed the tech billionaire, along with Republican entrepreneur and former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, to spearhead his Department of Government Efficiency, though the latter is expected to vacate his spot.

However, even with the newfound power, and perhaps increasingly inflated ego, Musk's position in Trump's administration has given him, there's no denying his presence during Trump's victory rally still felt a little awkward. While the Washington, D.C., crowd seemed to be somewhat hyped by Musk's appearance, some users on his X, formerly known as Twitter, platform were less impressed by what he had to say. 

Some users poked holes in his brief speech for his perceived lack of confidence. "Yeah, but his speech showed his nervousness, like if he was not prepared," one X user wrote. "First time I saw weakness in him." While some harped on Musk and how he presented himself, others were more focused on his young son, X, who arguably usurped the crowd's attention from his dad after he followed Musk onstage and excitedly hammed it up for the crowd. "Elon junior steals the show," another X user said. "He's already got more leadership skills than most politicians."