A video of Elon Musk from US President Donald Trump’s official visit to China has gone viral after the Tesla CEO was caught “being a tourist” as pleasantries were exchanged.
On May 14, President Trump met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing for a bilateral summit to discuss trade relationships between the two nations, the Iran conflict, and other matters.
Highlights
- Elon Musk divided the internet by allegedly acting like “a little kid” while accompanying US President Donald Trump to China.
- Musk went viral for making “goofy” expressions in multiple photos and videos during the bilateral meeting.
- The Tesla CEO allegedly disregarded a federal judge’s direct orders by traveling to China.
The president was joined by an entourage of business magnates on the tour, along with three White House officials: Marco Rubio, the Secretary of State, Pete Hegseth, the Defense Secretary, and Scott Bessent, the Treasury Secretary.
Other than Musk, among the industrialists who accompanied Trump were Tim Cook of Apple, Larry Fink of BlackRock, and Jensen Huang of Nvidia.
“He looks like a tourist. Not there on business,” one user said about Musk.
Netizens defended Elon Musk as critics slammed his “embarrassing” behavior
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During the visit, President Trump and the U.S. delegation stood at the iconic steps leading up to the Great Hall of the People, where President Xi shook hands and exchanged a few words with the group.
As everyone was focused on the Chinese president’s interactions, Elon Musk looked busy clicking pictures of his surroundings. In the viral video, he is seen trying to get a 360-degree image of the place.
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Musk’s action divided the internet. Some called him out for his “child-like” behavior, but many defended him, saying it was perfectly normal to show enthusiasm while visiting a country.
“Musk cosplaying as an Asian tourist,” one user joked. Another said, “He’s like a little kid with a phone filming everything.”
“Elon Musk and Marco Rubio brought shame to America with how they behaved there,” a third wrote, referring to the viral video of the Secretary of State appreciating the ornate ceiling of the Great Hall of the People.
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“Taking photos is just a normal video, where's the shame in that?” one said, defending Musk. A second user wrote, “Maintaining a high level of curiosity and thirst for knowledge about everything.”
Musk specifically found support among Chinese netizens, who praised him for appreciating their country.
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“The Chinese love the vibe of Elon; he acts very normal and not stiff like the rest of them,” one user said. Another said, “In China, Elon Musk has a really lively and relatable vibe, and Chinese netizens like him a lot.”
“To be honest, as a Chinese person, I don’t feel there’s anything wrong or improper about it,” said a third. “He is not traveling as a tourist and should not behave so freely,” a netizen disagreed.
Elon Musk’s “bizarre” face went viral on a Chinese social media app
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The SpaceX founder continued to make headlines with his unconventional actions during the visit, as he was caught making “hilarious” expressions at the banquet dinner.
Posing for a photo with Tim Cook, Musk decided to pull a series of quirky faces, grinning, and gesturing two thumbs-up at the camera. The Apple chief, meanwhile, simply smiled for the photo-op.
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The tech billionaire posed for a selfie with Xiaomi CEO and rival EV leader Lei Jun, which went viral on the Chinese social media platform Weibo. The hashtag “Lei Jun and Musk photo together” reportedly drew more than 20 million views on the app.
In the photo that Lei clicked on his phone, Musk is seen winking at the camera with his right eye.
Back in 2025, when Musk pledged to create his own American political party amid a feud with Trump over tax and spending bills, #MuskWantsToBuildAnAmericaParty went viral on Weibo, garnering more than 37 million views.
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“If Elon Musk were to found a political party, his tech-driven mindset could inject fresh energy into politics,” one user had written on the platform.
He was also photographed with his son, X Æ A-12, whom he shares with his ex-girlfriend, Grimes. The child accompanied his father on the trip and was spotted carrying a bag that resembled a Chinese dragon mask.
Elon Musk reportedly ignored a federal judge’s order to travel to China
According to NBC News, a federal judge ordered Elon Musk to remain at the ready to be recalled to testify at short notice for an ongoing lawsuit he filed against Sam Altman’s artificial intelligence company, OpenAI.
Musk, a co-founder of the company, alleged that they had betrayed its original nonprofit mission by creating a for-profit branch. He is seeking $134 billion from OpenAI and Microsoft, one of the former’s top financial backers.
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Musk testified for the same in Oakland, California, in April 2026, where he claimed that OpenAI benefited from his money, experience, and connections.
He also admitted to backing out of his $1 billion commitment when Altman and fellow co-founders Greg Brockman and Ilya Sutskever refused to let him absorb OpenAI’s flagship model ChatGPT into Tesla.
Before Musk left the witness stand, U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers asked the parties if Musk should be held in “recall status,” meaning that he should be available to testify again if required. OpenAI lawyers agreed, and the judge told him he was “not excused” but could leave for the day.
"Happy tourist." The internet reacted to Elon Musk's "little boy" act during his visit to China
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