Elon Musk recently shed light on the unusual footage that captured him at a dinner held with President Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago.
While I’ve never dined with someone of significant social stature, I imagine I’d adhere to proper table manners if given the chance.
If it were tea with royalty, I’d ensure a napkin on my lap and a raised pinky. Dining with a president might not require such formality, but I doubt I’d begin toying with the tableware.
Musk, however, opted for a different approach during his meal with Trump at his Florida estate on March 15. The event included guests such as Shivon Zilis, Musk’s co-parent, and White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.
A video that has since gone viral shows Musk focused on a set of utensils balanced on his hand, maneuvering them as Trump conversed with another guest.
The Tesla CEO later clarified his actions in the video, stating: “A fork and two spoons balanced on the tip of my finger.”
While it may be an impressive party trick, perhaps it wasn’t the most appropriate display in front of a world leader. That’s just my take, though I’m not well-versed in such scenarios.
Despite Musk’s apparent satisfaction, viewers were quick to offer their interpretations of the clip, with some suggesting Musk seemed ‘bored’ at the dinner.
One Twitter user commented, “A grown man, not engaged with anyone, sitting at dinner with the President of the United States, playing with the silverware is mind-boggling.”
Another added: “I can relate to this level of boredom at a dinner party.”
Conversely, a supportive observer proposed there was a more intellectual basis for Musk’s behavior at the table.
They remarked: “It’s definitely a physics thing. The way he’s looking at it makes you think he’s considering the dynamics for some new technology he’s dreaming up. He’s always pondering profound thoughts. This is part of his mind being a storm, I imagine. This is very much a part of who he is.”
It’s plausible it was related to physics. However, it’s likelier that Musk simply noticed the cutlery and decided to experiment with it.