Elon Musk and Donald Trump came together ‘for Charlie’, setting aside their differences and the public feud earlier this year. The former buddies were seen seated together and chatting at the stands of State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, during a memorial event for right-wing activist Charlie Kirk on Sunday.
While it’s not clear whether the once-trusted allies were meeting for the first time after their fallout, the two were seen shaking hands and sharing a few warm moments as they chatted.
The snippet was shared by the official White House account on social media platform X, leading many to believe the two have patched up. Elon Musk also shared a snapshot with Trump from the event on his X handle and captioned it – “For Charlie”.
For Charlie pic.twitter.com/8092jIt319
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 21, 2025
Elon Musk’s hand gesture goes viral
As the moment quickly became viral, many people watching and rewatching the clipping, also observed Musk’s unique hand gesture, something that was also mirrored by President Trump.
The gesture, also called ‘pyramid hand symbol’, is made by placing one’s hands in front of the stomach and allowing fingertips of the thumbs and index fingers to join and form a diamond shape. The hand gesture is also known as the “Merkel-Raute” or Merkel diamond, named after Angela Merkel, former Chancellor of Germany.
The history of Merkel’s diamond gesture
Merkel thought that it “contains a certain symmetry,” and shared her simple explanation about adopting the hand gesture with the women’s magazine Brigitte. “There was always the question, what to do with your arms, and that’s how it came about,” she said. Merkel’s Christian Democrat party (CDU) also used the image of the hand gesture on a promotional poster at Berlin’s central railway station once.
The unique hand gesture was apparently a favourite of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan who used the “triangle of power” during a 2012 press conference.
Inspired by Hakini Mudra
While the origin of Merkel diamond or the triangle of power is not clear, the ancient Indian practice of Yoga considers it a potent gesture.
Hakini Mudra, is known to enhance brain power, and is also referred to as the ‘Brain Power Mudra’.
The Mudra is useful for leaders and professionals who are engaged in intense mental work and can alleviate stress and mental fatigue. The gesture helps to improve concentration, memory and focus.
This mudra proves beneficial for individuals engaged in substantial mental work, including multitasking, which often leads to stress and mental fatigue. It is equally helpful for those dealing with forgetfulness, as it significantly improves concentration, memory, and focus.
While it’s not clear what exactly Trump and Musk were talking about in the video, the hand gesture definitely indicates a strong bond between the two.
