A seemingly innocuous notepad belonging to Elon Musk has set the internet ablaze after eagle-eyed viewers spotted a cryptic message during a live broadcast of US President Donald Trump’s cabinet meeting on 10 April. The phrase “Top Secret!!”, scrawled in blue ink and underlined with not one but two exclamation marks, has triggered a flurry of speculation, humour, and memes across social media platforms.
Photographs from the high-level meeting — now widely circulated on X (formerly Twitter) — show Musk seated with a name card, an empty glass, a pen, and a simple notepad in front of him. It was the note’s playful yet pointed message that stood out: “Top Secret!!” in casual handwriting, suggesting either mischief or a masterstroke of PR.
Social media erupts: ‘He 100% wrote it himself’
As the photos went viral, social media users were quick to weigh in on the curious doodle. While some debated whether it was a deliberate joke or an attention-grabbing ploy, others offered more tongue-in-cheek interpretations. “The most top secret stuff is always in ballpoint pen,” one user mocked. Another said, “He 100% wrote it himself with that pen right there,” pointing to the biro in the frame.
One particularly amused viewer observed, “Underlined twice. Two exclamation marks. That’s how you really keep secrets.” Yet another chimed in with, “Big boy with his big boy documents,” referencing a now-viral jibe that may have subtly nodded to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt’s recent comments.
White House response: ‘Boys will be boys’
When questioned about the apparent feud between Elon Musk and Trump’s senior trade adviser, Peter Navarro, over tariffs, Leavitt offered a nonchalant reply that seemed to embrace the moment’s levity.
“Look, these are obviously two individuals who have very different views on trade and on tariffs,” she said during a press briefing. “Boys will be boys, and we will let their public sparring continue — and you guys should all be very grateful that we have the most transparent administration in history.”
While avoiding direct reference to the now-infamous notepad, her tone matched the broader mood of amusement circulating online.
Beyond the notepad: Musk’s bold fiscal forecast
Despite the distraction caused by his mysterious scribble, Musk did contribute substantively to the cabinet meeting. The Tesla and SpaceX boss made a striking fiscal announcement, claiming that his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative could result in $150 billion in government savings for fiscal year 2026.
This declaration builds upon Musk’s previous assertions that DOGE could potentially help the administration shave up to $1 trillion off total government expenditure in the long term — largely by cutting inefficiencies, streamlining federal operations, and reducing dependency on costly consultants and external contractors.
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In recent weeks, DOGE has been at the centre of controversial cuts, including a widely reported $5.1 billion slash to IT service contracts involving giants like Accenture and Deloitte. Musk’s growing influence in government operations has sparked both praise and criticism, with supporters lauding his no-nonsense approach and critics warning of an overreach by unelected technocrats.
Memes, mystery, and media frenzy
Whether Musk intended for his notepad to make headlines or not, the impact was instantaneous. Within hours of the broadcast, hashtags like #TopSecretNote and #MuskMemo began trending, with thousands speculating about what might really be written on the next page — if anything at all.
Some memes imagined a full government strategy doodled in stick figures, while others cheekily claimed it was the launch code for a Mars mission. One viral edit even showed the words “Top Secret!!” fading into a diagram of a giant robot labelled “DEFENCE V3.0”.
For now, the true meaning behind the scribbled note remains a mystery — but in the age of viral politics, it seems even a biro and a blank page are enough to hijack the headlines.
