Why Are People Calling Elon Musk 'First Buddy?' The Memes About Donald Trump And Musk's Close Relationship Explained

Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk has been a staunch supporter of former President Donald Trump lately, and now that he's been reelected, that support has only increased.

In fact, Trump recently announced that he'd let Musk run the newly planned Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) once he's back in charge.

But Musk's closeness to Trump has started to raise a few eyebrows as reports surface that Musk is getting on the nerves of some people close to Trump, with CNN awarding him the title "First Buddy" because of it. Here's why.

What Does 'First Buddy' Mean?

On November 11th, 2024, a clip from CNN News Central went viral on X. In the clip, CNN correspondents discuss claims that Musk has been hanging out with Trump a lot since his re-election. Correspondent Gloria Borger takes the opportunity to say that Musk is becoming Trump's "First Buddy," a play on the term "First Lady," which is given to the spouse of a running president.

The title comes off a bit infantilizing, but Musk insists he doesn't see it that way. In response to the viral clip, Musk commented, "I’m happy to be first buddy! 😂" to over 30,000 likes in a few days. Social media users at large, however, seem to have their own opinions on the unofficial title.

How Is 'First Buddy' Used In Memes?

Since embracing the unofficial title, both social media and the mainstream media have taken off with it. Numerous stories on sites including the New York Times, The Daily Beast, Washington Post and more have quoted the post in which Musk embraces the title. However, a lot of people seem to be using it to mock Musk, seeing the title as a bit embarrassing.

Musk's supporters have been more willing to embrace the title. Across X, you'll find numerous examples of AI-generated images and memes referencing Musk as First Buddy in a positive light. Mixed in with this are posts sharing sentiments like, "I think he might actually be the biggest loser in human history."

As with most things relating to Trump and Musk, the reactions are a mixed bag.

For the full history of First Buddy, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.