Grimes Criticizes Elon Musk After Son’s Oval Office Appearance

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Musician Grimes voiced her concerns following her four-year-old son, X Æ A-Xii, making a public appearance alongside his father, Elon Musk, during a White House press conference on February 11. The event, held in the Oval Office, featured Musk discussing his role in the newly established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) with President Donald Trump.

After videos of the event circulated online, Grimes, whose real name is Claire Elise Boucher, expressed her frustration on X (formerly Twitter). “He should not be in public like this,” Grimes wrote in response to a fan who praised her son’s behavior during the conference. “I did not see this, thank u for alerting me. But I’m glad he was polite. Sigh.”

The press conference centered around Musk’s efforts to reduce federal workforce spending through DOGE, which he claims has identified “billions and billions” in government waste. President Trump introduced X, calling him a “great guy” and “high-IQ individual,” while Musk stood conversing with reporters.

During the event, X was observed climbing on his father and whispering to the President, prompting Musk to remark, “Sorry for this. I thought my son might enjoy this, but as he’s sticking his fingers in my ears, it’s been hard to hear sometimes. Hey! Stop that.” He acknowledged that the outing might have been challenging for his son.

Grimes and Musk, who began dating in 2018 and split in 2022, share three children: X, three-year-old Exa Dark Sideræl, and two-year-old Tau Techno Mechanicus. They have been facing ongoing tensions regarding parental responsibilities. In a January statement, Grimes expressed her disapproval of their son’s previous public appearances and indicated her desire to resolve the situation.

As discussions around the event continued, Grimes added, “It’s absurd that someone can be this canceled for something their ex did before they even heard it happened. I am not him. I will not make a statement every time he does something.” Her comments reflect the complicated dynamics of co-parenting in the public eye amid various controversies surrounding Musk.