At a recent White House cabinet meeting, Elon Musk made headlines for his attire rather than his daring AI claims or rocket launches. In allusion to former President Donald Trump’s earlier renaming of the Gulf of Mexico, Musk wore a bright red cap that read Gulf of America as he was sat in the Cabinet Room.
Trump’s dual status as the 45th and now 47th president of the United States was acknowledged by the hat’s design, which resembled the iconic “Make America Great Again” style and included the numbers “45 – 47.”
Musk’s choice to layer his headgear, however, was what really ignited social media. The Chief of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) was seen wearing a red cap placed on top of a black one in video clips that have gone viral online.
Just before he spoke, he took both off, which caused amusement on the internet. Trump couldn’t help but joke. By the way, Elon, I adore the double hat. Only he is capable of doing that. “Well, Mr. President, I wear a lot of hats,” Musk smiled in response. My hat, too, has a hat!
Almost immediately, the moment became viral:
As a result of Facebook users and TikTokers making fun of the bizarre picture of Musk stacking caps during a formal conference, “Double Hat Day” started to trend on several platforms. But not everyone was paying attention to the hat trick. Astute viewers noticed what appeared to be a visible mark or scar on Musk’s neck.
Soon after, there was conjecture: “Did Elon have surgery?” one commenter inquired. Someone else added, “Is that a cut? How did his neck turn out?
However, the talk was dominated by the layered hat moment and the enigmatic neck mark. Responses varied from laughter to perplexity, with one observer stating sardonically, “Good lord… Cringe,” followed by another remark that said, “It’s unbelievable that this is genuine.” Musk has already made headlines on his visits to the White House.
He posted a picture of himself wearing a huge red MAGA cap and standing up in the Oval Office with his arms out on X back in February. When combined with his typical black attire, the picture swiftly gained popularity as a meme.
By March, inquiries concerning his unorthodox approach had reached the press briefing room. Following criticism of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for not wearing a suit, reporters questioned why Musk was permitted to come so casually clothed. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt laughed and said, “He did last night.” “The president seemed to like it just fine,” she continued.
For the time being, Musk keeps fusing the roles of pop culture star, political figure, and tech giant. He keeps the public—and the internet—talking, whether he’s creating headlines or policy. His most recent appearance—complete with piled hats and mysterious scars—adds another strange yet noteworthy chapter to his constantly changing character.
