Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, recently shared his reflections on his time leading the Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) under President Donald Trump, saying he would not take on the role again, despite calling its efforts to shrink the US government “a little bit successful.”
Musk shared his thoughts during an interview on The Katie Miller Podcast on Tuesday.
The Price of Political Involvement
When asked if he would repeat his work with Doge, Musk replied, “I mean no, I don’t think so,” explaining he would have rather focused on his companies, as they “wouldn’t have been burning the cars.”
- Musk’s involvement in the Trump administration led to global protests and boycotts against Tesla, resulting in vandalism attacks on Tesla showrooms and Cybertruck vehicles.
- In April, Tesla reported a drop in sales to their lowest level in three years, warning investors that “changing political sentiment” was hurting demand.
Assessing Doge’s Success
Musk left Doge in May, after initially aiming to save $2 trillion a year. While he regrets the personal cost, he maintained that Doge achieved some success:
- He believes Doge was “a little bit successful, we were somewhat successful.”
- He argued the organization had “stopped a lot of funding that really just made no sense.”
- Doge’s website, last updated on October 4th, claims to have saved an estimated $214 billion so far this year.
The Group’s Tumultuous Tenure
Doge, an advisory group created by an executive order, was a “made-up” name based on “internet suggestions,” according to Musk. The group pushed for:
- Massive reductions in the federal workforce.
- The shuttering of programs and agencies, such as the US Agency for International Development (USAID).
However, many of Doge’s actions were met with strong resistance, including legal challenges and reversals. For instance, the administration had to re-hire bird flu officials at the US Department of Agriculture after Doge’s cost-cutting measures resulted in their termination.
From Feud to Friendship
Musk’s time at Doge also resulted in an explosive public falling-out with President Trump in June, after Musk criticized a Trump-backed spending bill. This led to a social media war of words, with Trump even threatening to use Doge to investigate Musk’s own business dealings.
- The pair’s relationship now appears to be mended. Musk was spotted with the President at a White House dinner in November.
- In his interview, Musk spoke positively of Trump, describing him as the funniest person he knows with a “great sense of humour.”
