You know when a photo or video pops up online and suddenly everyone can’t stop talking about it? That’s exactly what happened on Wednesday when billionaire Elon Musk joined President Donald Trump in the Oval Office.
The scene quickly went viral, not because of a big speech or announcement, but because of Musk’s intense stare directed at South African President Cyril Ramaphosa during a tense discussion.
The Heavy Topic: White Farmer Deaths in South Africa
President Trump used the meeting to confront Ramaphosa about the deaths of white farmers in South Africa — a highly sensitive and controversial issue.
During the event, Trump had his staff dim the lights and played a video featuring EFF leader Julius Malema chanting “Shoot the Boer, Shoot the farmer.”
Alongside that, he showed news clippings including reports of brutal crimes against white African farmers.
It was a heavy moment, and Musk sat quietly but clearly focused, watching Ramaphosa as the South African president denied that these deaths amounted to racial genocide.
Musk’s Fierce Gaze Captivates the Internet
Social media erupted over Musk’s reaction. Clips and photos of him locking eyes with Ramaphosa flooded platforms like X (formerly Twitter), with people joking and speculating about what Musk was thinking.
One user quipped, “I kid you not, Elon Musk is literally staring at the South African President like he wants to fight him.”
The stare quickly became a symbol of Musk’s personal investment in the issue.
Why This Matters Deeply to Elon Musk
This isn’t just some passing interest for Musk — it hits close to home.
Born in South Africa, Musk has repeatedly used social media to raise alarms about what he calls “White genocide” in the country.
Just a day before the Oval Office meeting, Musk criticized Ramaphosa in an interview, accusing him of enforcing “racist” laws that block Musk’s Starlink satellite internet service because Musk isn’t black.
MAGA influencer Benny Johnson highlighted Musk’s fiery stance, writing, “Elon torched the country’s racist laws and exposed that he’s unable to operate Starlink there for one reason: he’s not black.”
The Reactions Keep Coming From Both Supporters and Critics
Trump supporters were quick to rally behind Musk’s intense moment.
Nick Sotor commented, “Elon Musk gave the President of South Africa a stare that will haunt his dreams.” Another user, Paul A.
Szypula, wrote, “Elon Musk is back in the Oval Office, staring the President of South Africa in the eyes.”
Meanwhile, Trump himself acknowledged Musk’s presence but seemed to downplay any attempt to drag him into the political fray.
“Elon is from South Africa. I don’t want to get Elon involved,” Trump said with a chuckle. “This is what Elon wanted.
He came here on a different subject, sending rockets to Mars, he likes that subject better.”
Musk’s Shift From Politics to Business Focus
Though Musk has been outspoken on this issue, he’s also been trying to step away from politics and concentrate on his businesses — especially Tesla.
After some criticism from the political left over his work related to the Dogecoin cryptocurrency, Musk appears to be steering his attention back to innovation and space exploration rather than political controversies.