Body Language Expert: Trump & Elon's Bizarre Press Conference Is Rife With Hidden Meaning
President Donald Trump's second term in office may have just started, but the crazy train hasn't slowed down once since January 20. From his controversies in California to his petty feud with Taylor Swift, there's been a lot to unpack this year — and it's only February. Now, everyone's favorite frenemies, Trump and Elon Musk, are back at it again. Recently, Musk held a Q&A session in the Oval Office while Trump sat at his desk in silence. After Musk's previous immature antics on X, formerly known as Twitter, it's somewhat surprising Trump is letting his tech bro command a press conference.
The father of 12 children was joined by one of them, X Æ A-12, during the meeting, a kid who was clearly bored out of his mind and doing everything he could to entertain himself while his dad talked business. Several clips were posted to X, and The List spoke with body language expert and behavior analyst Traci Brown, CSP about the hidden meanings in the videos.
Elon Musk: "If the bureaucracy is in charge, then what meaning does democracy actually have?" pic.twitter.com/s3P6gY8dxM
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) February 11, 2025
"It would seem on the surface that there's not a lot to see, but digging in tells the tale," Brown said. "Trump only showed noticeable response to Elon's kid and the question about condoms." Brown did note that X Æ A-12's presence subtly suggests the work they are doing is for the next generation of Americans. "Not responding to whatever Elon is saying or looking around also has meaning: Trump has given free Elon reign with limited oversight." Brown also commented on Musk's bizarre hand gesture, saying, "Elon shows ultimate confidence in what he's saying with his power steepled hands." It's definitely a power move every '90s supervillain used.
Comments on X insinuate Elon Musk is secretly the person in charge
The reponses on X were unsurprisingly brutal, with people unafraid to say Elon Musk is covertly the president, with Donald Trump getting the title in name only. "It was nice of Elon to give up his desk to that feeble old man," tweeted one person, referring to the fact that Trump is 78 while Musk is more than 20 years his junior. That was a first-degree burn. "Does Trump get to run another term since he is Vice President now?" someone else facetiously asked, insinuating that Trump was downgraded to VP to make room for President Musk. That was a second-degree burn.
The cherry on top of this hospital-inducing roasting was the third-degree burn someone said about how Musk basically bought himself the administration. "I can't believe Elon. He's letting Trump sit behind the desk, even though he paid $290M for that presidency," wrote an X user. "Maybe he was just being nice to Trump."
Musk did spend millions on Trump's campaign — over a quarter of a billion dollars — which many people feel means "democracy" can be bought. So far, it does seem like Trump is the face behind the presidency, but it's Musk who is pulling all the (purse) strings.