Can you agree that if you were going to appear on a global news broadcast answering questions about the future of an entire nation at a press conference, wearing a suit and tie would be the obvious choice? On Feb. 11, Elon Musk made it clear that he disagrees with this fashion expectation.
Arriving in a t-shirt and cowboy belt buckle as the Senior Advisor to the President of the United States, and accompanied by his 4-year-old son, X Æ A-12 (X), Musk’s appearance was a stark contrast to the other officials in the room. Not only is X the first non-presidential minor to enter the Oval Office and sit in on a globally broadcasted news report with the president, but he’s also reportedly the first child to tell President Trump to “shut your mouth.”
For centuries, formal attire has been a sign of respect for the White House, the presidency, and the symbolism they represent. However, recent actions by government officials have shown that these traditions are no longer taken seriously. At the Feb. 11 press conference, Trump was joined by Musk, Stephen Miller (White House Deputy Chief of Staff), and Will Scharf (White House Staff Secretary). While Miller and Scharf followed the traditional suit-and-tie dress code, Musk stood out like a sore thumb in his casual attire. Some might say that his choice of dress is a power move, sending a subtle message that he is not bound by the same rules as everyone else, possibly even suggesting he holds more power than Trump.
When the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, met with Trump on Feb. 28, the press treated him with a different attitude than how Musk was treated two weeks earlier. The meeting was held in the Oval Office to discuss continued support for Ukraine in the ongoing war against Russia. Brian Glenn, the Chief White House correspondent for the right-wing Real America’s Voice TV channel, called out Zelenskyy for wearing a casual outfit. He asked, “A lot of Americans have problems with you not respecting this office; why don’t you wear a suit? Do you own a suit?” Glenn’s question was harsh and critical. Could it be that the press’s reaction was driven by hypocrisy, or even xenophobia? Why was the reaction so different when Musk disregarded the same dress code and rules of the Oval Office?
Beyond his attire and his child’s presence, Musk’s dominance was proved in the press conference itself. According to MSNBC, he spoke far more than Trump. Musk spoke 3,666 words, while Trump only spoke 2,487. This imbalance suggests that Musk, the senior advisor to the President, is calling the shots in a room where you might expect Trump, the president, to lead. It raises the question: who is really in charge here, and who is making the decisions that shape the future of this country?
