Elon Musk’s Viral Photo: Is This His New Look or Just Another Hoax
Elon Musk is never far from the public eye, whether it’s because of his businesses or his bold statements. Recently, however, the billionaire became the focus of online chatter for a different reason: his body. A photo showing Musk with an enlarged stomach and chest went viral, sparking widespread speculation.
The speculation began on November 10, when a photo of Musk with a noticeably larger stomach and chest surfaced on social media. People quickly began asking if Musk had developed a condition called “barrel chest,” where the chest looks unusually puffed up. Many were concerned and wondered if Musk might have an underlying health problem.
However, it didn’t take long for people to find out that the photo was not real.
The image was shared widely after being posted by a now-deleted account on X (formerly Twitter), with the caption: “He always posts AI pictures of himself because he actually looks like this.” The tweet also included an artificial intelligence-generated image of Musk that made his chest appear unusually large. The post went viral, gaining millions of views and hundreds of thousands of likes.
Despite the fact that fact-checkers and media outlets confirmed the image was manipulated, it continued to spread rapidly.
The altered photo raised questions about Musk’s health. Many speculated that he might have barrel chest, a condition that causes the chest to appear rounded and puffed up. Barrel chest can be linked to lung issues, where the lungs overfill with air and push out the chest and ribs. This can make the chest look larger and lead to changes in posture.
However, the rumors were based on a manipulated image, not reality.
The altered photo originated from a YouTube video posted in June 2024, showing Musk inside SpaceX’s Starfactory. Around the 2-minute mark, a normal photo of Musk was digitally edited, making his chest and stomach appear larger. An unknown person altered the photo and shared it online, leading to the viral spread of the fake image.
While Musk himself hasn’t commented on the controversy, the speculation about his body was based on an image that wasn’t real.
This isn’t the first time Musk’s body has made headlines. In 2020, photos of Musk on a $20,000-per-week yacht went viral. In these photos, Musk was seen shirtless, which led to a wave of body-shaming comments. Musk, however, handled it with humor, tweeting: “Haha damn, maybe I should take off my shirt more often… free the nip!!”
Elon Musk, now 53, has also spoken openly about his diet and weight loss. He shared that he lost more than 20 pounds after reaching what he considered an “unhealthy peak weight.” Musk has mentioned using Wegovy, a medication for weight management, and following an intermittent fasting routine, where he alternates between fasting and eating periods.
Musk is known for his love of food, particularly steak, sushi, chocolate, coffee, and Diet Coke. He has joked about eating donuts every morning and still being alive, despite his dislike for vegetables.
From viral photos to constant discussions about his diet and health, Musk’s body often takes center stage in the media. Despite the criticism, Musk seems to take it all in stride. He continues to remind the public that he is just living his life — with donuts and all.
While the rumors about Musk’s health were sparked by a fake image, it’s clear that the billionaire continues to attract attention for everything he does — even when it comes to his diet and body. One thing is certain: Elon Musk’s body will remain a topic of conversation, no matter the truth.
