The SpaceX CEO was spotted walking ahead of his son in a video believed to have been recorded at a Trump-related event

Elon Musk is facing criticism after a video surfaced showing him walking away without his young son, X Æ A-Xii, at what appears to be an event in support of Donald Trump.

The footage has quickly gone viral on social media as Musk and Trump continue to collaborate in the White House, where Musk has recently taken on a role as a senior advisor to the president.

The billionaire has often brought his son, affectionately known as X, along with him as he navigates the political sphere. In a recent instance, he even had X join him in the Oval Office while he and Trump spoke to reporters.

While some viewers found it endearing to see the young boy confidently standing in the presence of the president, others have since voiced concern over Musk’s parenting after seeing footage from an earlier event in which he appeared to leave X behind.

The video, reportedly filmed in January, captures Musk descending a set of metal stairs and waving to supporters as he reaches the bottom. Meanwhile, X, who is only four years old, is seen carefully making his way down behind him, gripping both handrails for support as he navigates the wide steps at a slower pace.

A man dressed in a suit, likely a security guard, stands at the base of the stairs as X continues his descent. However, Musk does not seem to pause or wait for his son, instead striding away and disappearing off-camera.

You can view the video here:

The so-called genius forgot his human shield son. What a loving father. pic.twitter.com/p4Pvy4bIXk

— Mukhtar (@I_amMukhtar) February 23, 2025

The footage then cuts back to X, still making his way down the stairs.

Since the video does not reveal whether other adults were nearby to assist X, many viewers have expressed shock over the scene. One person commented that the clip “legitimately disturbs—and saddens—” them.

Others have labeled the footage as “concerning,” with one user writing: “As a father, I simply cannot understand this. I could be grocery shopping alone and will STILL habitually check below me and behind me. I can’t imagine that habit will go away anytime soon.. my son’s 3. How old is Elon’s? 5?”

However, not all reactions have been negative. Some people have defended Musk, arguing that the presence of security at the event meant X was never truly left unattended.

One supporter of Musk’s parenting style responded to the criticism by saying: “Why? He does it just right. He can do it and it helps the child to become independent and self-confident.”