President Donald Trump announced that Elon Musk, who served as a “special employee” in the White House, is leaving his official position. Musk is expected to remain closely connected to the administration.
“And Elon is really not leaving. He’s going to be back and forth, I think,” Trump said while announcing Musk’s departure. “I have a feeling. It’s his baby, and I think he’s going to be doing a lot of things, but Elon’s service to America has been without comparison in modern history.”
DOGE initiative and Musk’s role
Trump appointed the billionaire Tesla CEO to head the Department of Government Efficiency, also known as “DOGE,” a program designed to identify and eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse in government operations.
Although Musk is stepping away from Washington, many of DOGE’s staff members will remain to continue the program’s mission.
“This is not the end of DOGE, but really the beginning,” Musk said, standing next to Trump in the Oval Office. “My time as a special government employee had to end; it was a limited-time thing. It’s 134 days, I believe, which ends in a few days.”
Trump thanked Musk for his contributions, and both men said they believe DOGE’s cuts could result in substantial savings for the federal government. “It is permeating throughout the government,” Musk said. “And I’m confident that over time, we’ll see a trillion dollars of savings, a trillion dollars of waste and fraud reduction.”
Criticism and investigation calls
Musk’s time in the White House drew criticism, with critics arguing his role enabled him to leverage government influence to benefit his private ventures, such as Tesla and SpaceX.
U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-N.Y., and 10 other senators called for a federal investigation into allegations Musk used his position to secure favorable treatment for his Starlink satellite service in countries including India, Bangladesh and Pakistan.
“Musk is reportedly taking advantage of his government role to coerce concessions from foreign governments for his own benefit, including unfettered market access as well as contracts with his companies, in exchange for favorable treatment by the U.S. government,” the senators wrote in a letter to Trump.
Challenges during Musk’s tenure
Musk faced challenges while serving in the government, including a significant drop in Tesla’s earnings. In April, the company reported a 71% year-over-year decline in net income to $409 million. Musk announced he would reduce his government activities shortly after to focus more on his electric vehicle business.
In recent months, Tesla has faced protests at its dealerships and reports of vehicle vandalism from several owners.
When asked if his government service was “worth it,” Musk responded: “I think it was an important thing, a necessary thing. And I think it will have a good effect in the future.”
Trump addresses international affairs
While speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump also commented on foreign policy developments. He expressed optimism about a potential nuclear deal with Iran, emphasizing a desire for peace in the region.
“I think we have a chance of making a deal with Iran, also. They don’t want to be blown up,” Trump said. “They would rather make a deal, and I think that could happen in the not-too-distant future.”
Trump reiterated that he wants Iran to become a prosperous nation. Still, he stressed that Iran cannot possess nuclear weapons “without bombs being dropped all over the Middle East,” he said.
The president also took credit for halting a potential conflict between India and Pakistan. “We stopped India and Pakistan from fighting,” Trump said. “I believe that could’ve turned out into a nuclear disaster.”
He concluded by touching on the possibility of a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, noting he will announce if both parties reach an agreement in the coming days.
