'Chief Troll Officer': Elon Musk Goes Viral For Making Funny Faces As He Gets Clicked With Tim Cook, Lei Jun

Last Updated:May 14, 2026, 16:39 IST

From "gift to humanity" to "meme mode," Elon Musk ditches the corporate script to give the internet its favourite new Beijing moment

Beijing just witnessed a summit for the ages, and it wasn’t just the trade talks that had people talking. During President Donald Trump’s high-stakes diplomatic visit to China this week, the tech world’s biggest titans—Elon Musk, Tim Cook, and Xiaomi’s Lei Jun—found themselves in a viral whirlwind.

As the leaders of the global economy gathered, Musk stole the show by ditching the corporate script and going full “meme mode". Musk, who joined the delegation alongside Apple’s Tim Cook and other top CEOs, was treated like a global celebrity the moment he touched down. On X, fans were quick to note the sheer energy surrounding him: “Elon being welcomed like a rock star in China says a lot. Real innovation is respected everywhere."

While most executives stuck to standard handshakes, Musk was seen repeatedly leaning into his playful side. “Elon Musk just activated meme mode in Beijing 😂," one viral post noted, while another added, “Elon Musk is REPEATEDLY being approached by fans in China begging for photos, he keeps making funny faces 🤣."

The most talked-about moment occurred when a “fan" approached Musk for a photo—only for the internet to realize it wasn’t just any fan. " ‘Approached by fans’ dude that is Xiaomi’s founder," one user pointed out. Indeed, it was Lei Jun, the mastermind behind the Chinese tech giant now making waves in both smartphones and EVs.

Observers were quick to label the meeting a historic crossover: “The fan asking Elon for a photo is Lei Jun, the founder of Xiaomi, a Chinese tech giant making both phones and cars. Builder recognizes builder." Others loved the lack of pretense: “I just love the guy. So authentically Elon. He is just enjoying himself. lol."

As photos of Musk, Cook, and Jun circulated, the discussion inevitably turned to Musk’s massive influence and future wealth. Some supporters hailed him as a “gift to humanity", with one user stating, “This will be the world’s first trillionaire, he deserves it!"

However, the comment sections were far from a monolith. Critics were quick to push back on the trillionaire talk: “The first trillionaire he deserves it? Wtf are you talking about? Because he makes funny faces and is trying to send rockets to space instead of investing the money into earth? Think of all the stuff he could’ve changed with that money. And you want trillions? Fool."

News viral 'Chief Troll Officer': Elon Musk Goes Viral For Making Funny Faces As He Gets Clicked With Tim Cook, Lei Jun

Read More