The Hoax

Elon Walked Off Stage And Left His Child Behind

In February 2025, a firestorm erupted online when a short video clip surfaced showing Elon Musk seemingly abandoning his four-year-old son, X Æ A-Xii, on a stage at a Trump pre-inauguration rally. The footage depicts Musk briskly walking off the platform and down a set of stairs, leaving X to behind alone, struggling to keep up. Social media exploded with accusations of neglect, with critics and pundits decrying Musk as a cold, detached father who prioritized his ego over his child’s safety.

---

What Really Happened

Elon Stays With His Son The Entire Time

In the full, unedited video from the January 20, 2025, Trump pre-inauguration rally, Elon Musk didn’t abandon his son, X Æ A-Xii, but simply stepped down the stairs and walked towards the tunnel ahead of him. Elon actually turns around multiple times in the full clip to check to make sure his son is following him.

---

Hoaxology

The following hoax techniques were used to create this hoax:

Selective Video Editing
The “Elon Walked Away From His Child Hoax” hinges on a textbook case of selective video editing. The viral clip from the January 20, 2025, Trump pre-inauguration rally was deliberately trimmed to show Elon Musk striding down the stairs, leaving his four-year-old son, X Æ A-Xii, to fend for himself—an image designed to scream neglect. This technique is often used to cut out context.

Highlighting Emotional Reaction & Sensationalized Reporting
Once the edited clip hit the airwaves, the hoax machine kicked into overdrive with sensationalized reporting and a laser focus on emotional outrage. Social media lit up with cries of “deadbeat dad” and “poor kid,” while pundits piled on, framing Musk’s every move as proof of his cold indifference—all without a shred of evidence beyond the doctored video. It’s a classic move: sensationalize the optics, skip the substance, and watch the mob run wild.