Elon Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur and Tesla CEO, made waves on Capitol Hill this week, not just for his ambitious plans to streamline federal spending but for a heartwarming appearance with his young son, X Æ A-Xii. Musk joined Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, and other lawmakers to discuss President-elect Donald Trump’s proposed Department of Government Efficiency.
However, it was Musk’s son, perched on his father’s shoulders and affectionately nicknamed “DOGE Jr.,” who became the internet’s latest sensation, charming the cameras and viewers alike.
The Capitol Hill meeting marked Musk’s latest collaboration with Trump’s team to reduce government waste and improve operational efficiency. Musk’s ideas, developed alongside Ramaswamy, aim to cut unnecessary federal programs and bring an entrepreneurial approach to governance.
“Our committee looks forward to partnering with @DOGE to make the federal government more efficient, effective, and accountable to the American people,” the House Oversight Committee tweeted, sharing a viral photo of Musk and his son at the meeting.
Musk, known for his unfiltered remarks, reportedly told lawmakers that the new Department of Government Efficiency task force would maintain a “naughty and nice” list, tracking support for its initiatives.
While the discussions on Capitol Hill were weighty, social media was captivated by the lighter moment Musk shared with his son. Dressed casually and sitting comfortably on his father’s shoulders, X Æ A-Xii mirrored Musk’s signature grin, with netizens pointing out the resemblance.
Musk later posted a photo of his son on X (formerly Twitter), captioning it “@DOGE & DOGE Jr.”
Born in May 2020, X Æ A-Xii has made multiple public appearances, becoming a familiar face alongside his father. Musk shares three children with his former partner Grimes: X Æ A-Xii, Techno Mechanicus (2), and Exa Dark Sideræl (3). He has 12 children in total.
Musk and Ramaswamy have been vocal about their mission to address what they see as a bloated federal bureaucracy.
“The entrenched and ever-growing bureaucracy represents an existential threat to our republic, and politicians have abetted it for too long,” they wrote last month. “We’re doing things differently. We are entrepreneurs, not politicians.”
Among the lawmakers in attendance were House Speaker Mike Johnson, Senator Mike Lee, Representative James Comer, and Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene. The meeting highlighted the collaborative efforts between private sector leaders and government officials to usher in a leaner federal structure.