Musk's son caught wiping nose on Resolute Desk—Trump orders cleanup
What's the story
US President Donald Trump has ordered the removal of the historic Resolute Desk from the Oval Office for refurbishment after an unusual incident got caught on live television.
During a joint Q&A session alongside Elon Musk, Musk's four-year-old son, X AE A-12, was seen picking his nose and wiping it on the desk.
Following the incident, officials confirmed that the Resolute Desk—a symbol of American history and leadership—was being removed for cleaning and restoration.
Incident details
X AE A-12's antics in the Oval Office
During the session, X AE A-12—Musk's son with pop star Grimes—was seen fidgeting, babbling, and walking around the Oval Office.
At one point, he was even caught on camera putting his finger in his nostril and then apparently wiping it on the Resolute Desk.
The desk has been used by several US Presidents including John F Kennedy, Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden since 1961.
Desk swap
Trump announced desk replacement on Truth Social
Trump, who is notoriously germaphobic, revealed on Truth Social (a social media service launched in 2022 by Trump Media) that the Resolute Desk had been temporarily swapped with the C&O desk.
He wrote, "This desk, the 'C&O,' which is also very well known and was used by President George HW Bush and others, has been temporarily installed in the White House while the Resolute Desk is being lightly refinished—a very important job."
Desk legacy
C&O, Resolute desks' history and temporary role
To note, the C&O desk, short for Chesapeake and Ohio Railway, was originally designed for the company's owners.
It first occupied the Oval Office Study in 1975 before being donated to the White House by rail company GSX in 1987.
Meanwhile, the Resolute Desk is an important part of the Oval Office's history.
It was made from the timbers of the British Arctic exploration ship HMS Resolute and presented by Queen Victoria to President Rutherford B Hayes in 1880.