viral selfie – Elon Musk was seen pulling faces and taking selfies at a state dinner hosted by Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday, May 14, during a high-profile trip to China that also includes President Donald Trump’s business delegation. The clips went viral as Trump
Elon Musk didn’t just show up for the state dinner in Beijing—he showed his personality. In viral clips from Thursday, May 14, the Tesla CEO was seen pulling faces and rolling his eyes while taking selfies during a banquet hosted by Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Musk is part of the delegation traveling with President Donald Trump to China. Also on the trip are Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and Apple CEO Tim Cook.
Trump has said he is in China for what he called an “incredible gathering of the world’s greatest businessmen/women. ” and for a face-to-face meeting with Xi. In a May 12 Truth Social post. Trump wrote that he would ask Xi. described as “a Leader of extraordinary distinction. ” to “open up” China so “these brilliant people can work their magic” and help bring the People’s Republic “to an even higher level.”.
At the dinner, the menu included China’s national dish, Beijing roast duck, along with beef ribs. Social media clips of Musk’s selfie photo-op and facial expressions spread quickly.
It’s not clear why Musk traveled with Trump to China this week. The uncertainty has lingered even as Musk has appeared on prior high-level trips. including in 2023. when he praised China’s technological developments and visited Tesla’s Gigafactory in Shanghai. That 2023 visit was Musk’s first in three years. as China has become one of Tesla’s most vital markets for both sales and production. according to CNBC.
This week’s delegation, including Musk and other tech CEOs, also set the tone for Xi’s public message. Xinhua reports that Xi said China’s “door will only open wider” for U.S. businesses. The outlet says Xi welcomed the United States to enhance “mutually beneficial cooperation” with China and expressed the belief that U.S. companies would have “even broader prospects in China.”.
The sequence of events has turned one dinner moment into a bigger question for viewers: what does “opening up” look like in practice, especially when the trip is dominated by business titans and punctuated by viral, human reactions captured at the table?
Elon Musk China trip Xi Jinping state dinner Donald Trump Tesla SpaceX Jensen Huang Tim Cook Reuters viral video Truth Social