Donald Trump Brutally Dragged Online After Calling Elon Musk 'Leon' During Air Force One Speech — 'Crazy Grandpa Sounds Sick'
Donald Trump accidentally referred to Elon Musk as 'Leon.'
June 20 2026, Published 12:30 p.m. ET
President Donald Trump is facing fresh ridicule online after accidentally calling Elon Musk "Leon" while showing off the new Air Force One aircraft gifted by Qatar, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The 80-year-old president unveiled the luxury Boeing jet on June 19, praising its advanced technology and communications systems as he toured the aircraft intended to supplement the aging presidential fleet.
'My Friend Leon'
The president quickly corrected himself after mixing up Musk's name while discussing Starlink technology on the aircraft.
The awkward moment came as Trump discussed the aircraft's state-of-the-art capabilities, including the integration of Starlink, the satellite internet service owned by Musk's SpaceX.
"We have communication equipment up there that's nobody's ever seen before. It's the highest level, including Starlink, my friend Leon—my friend Elon is going to be very happy," Trump said, quickly correcting himself after the verbal slip.
Social media users mocked the mistake, with some joking that Musk had been given a new nickname.
'Deranged Behavior'
Critics used the moment to reignite debate about Trump's age and mental sharpness.
While the president immediately corrected himself, clips of the remark quickly spread across social media, where users wasted little time piling on.
"If you're Leon, are you more worried the dementia's taking hold or that the guy you thought was your puppet doesn't even know your name?" one critic wrote on X.
Another user joked: "New nickname unlocked."
"He will forever be Leon Musk," the commenter added.
"He's Leon from now on," someone else said.
Others were even more blunt in their criticism.
"Crazy grandpa sounds sick. Sure hope it isn't serious," a user wrote.
"This man has dementia. In a normal world, this would be [the] biggest scandal, but we’re so desensitized to the daily corruption that it’s swept under the rug by the media. Crazy," a person bluntly shared.
Another wrote: "Not the first time, but still the perfect state on where we are if you add this to the rest of his deranged behavior."
"Dementia Don," a comment read.
Another Viral Moment
The name mix-up came after another viral moment in which Trump appeared to walk toward the wrong exit following his speech.
The Elon-to-"Leon" mix-up wasn't the only moment from Friday's Air Force One event that drew attention online.
Earlier in the day, Trump became the subject of another viral clip after appearing to briefly lose track of where he was supposed to exit the stage following his remarks at Joint Base Andrews.
Footage showed the president standing near the newly unveiled Boeing 747 before turning away from the designated staircase and beginning to walk in the opposite direction.
An aide quickly stepped in and pointed him toward the correct exit, prompting Trump to change direction and leave the stage without incident.
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'Get a Leash For Him'
An aide stepped in to redirect the president after he turned away from the designated staircase at Joint Base Andrews.
As footage spread online, users flooded comment sections with jokes and criticism aimed at the president.
"Gramps is a little overwhelmed," one person wrote on X.
"At this point, it might make more sense to just get a leash for him," another user quipped.
"He's becoming more and more like the president he likes to mock the most," someone else wrote, seemingly referring to former President Joe Biden.
