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Elon Musk goes viral for spinning and filming like a tourist during Trump’s China visit

Elon Musk goes viral for spinning and filming like a tourist during Trump’s China visit

Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk reacts ahead of a state banquet for US President Donald Trump and China's President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People Beijing on May 14, 2026 Photograph: (AFP)

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Elon Musk went viral after filming a 360-degree video and making animated expressions during a high-profile diplomatic event in Beijing attended by Donald Trump, Xi Jinping and top business leaders.

Elon Musk went viral after being spotted spinning around and filming like a tourist during a high-profile diplomatic state visit to Beijing, China. Both nations continue to engage in diplomatic posture, while the richest man on the planet, who is part of Trump's entourage, can be seen standing among officials and business leaders before Trump’s formal event with Xi Jinping begins. Musk held up his phone and slowly spun in circles to record the 360-degree video of the venue.

The moment quickly went viral on social media because of how relaxed he looked in a high-stakes diplomatic event. Many compared him to a child excitedly recording everything around him. One user commented, “I imagine the intelligence services of both sides hacking each other’s communications," a user wrote. Another joked, “he is scanning the Chinese… what a legend!" “Hahahahaha, it’s a little kid with a phone filming everything," wrote another.

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Another moment of unfiltered Musk

Musk once again went viral but for a completely unrelated reason. Images of Musk and Apple CEO Tim Cook smiling and reacting mid-photo together quickly trended across social media platforms. On one side was Tim Cook, and on the other side was a hostess who was serving him. Musk could be seen making eye gestures and animated facial expressions next to a Chinese hostess, which appeared as if he was leering. Some loved his gestures and expressions, while others commented that it was amusing to know that the richest man in the world could also be so non-serious.

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Kushal Deb

Kushal Deb is a mid-career journalist with seven years of experience and a strong academic background. Passionate about research, storytelling, writes about economics, policy, cult...Read More