Donald Trump hosted an Oval Office press conference with Elon Musk on Friday to mark the end of the tech billionaire’s tenure as a special government employee overseeing the so-called “department of government efficiency”, or Doge.
Musk’s departure comes after weeks of increasing pressure over his time leading Doge, in which he slashed thousands of jobs, resources and public spending.
Here are the key takeaways from the event:
‘Elon’s not really leaving,’ says Trump
Musk “is really not leaving” and many of his Doge team will stay on in the administration, Trump told reporters on what was meant to be Musk’s official last day as a “special government employee”.
“Elon is really not leaving,” Trump said. “He’s going to be back and forth. I think I have a feeling it’s his baby, and I think he’s going to be doing a lot of things.”
Musk later declared “this is not the end of Doge but really the beginning”, adding he will continue to visit the White House as a “friend and adviser” to the president.
“I hope to continue to provide advice whenever the president would like,” Musk said. “I hope so,” Trump replied.
Both sought to downplay rumours of a rift
Trump praised Musk as “one of the greatest business leaders and innovators the world has ever produced” and paid glowing tribute to the tech billionaire’s “sweeping and consequential” efforts to slash the federal workforce and reduce the size of government.
The lavish praise came just days after Musk publicly criticised Trump’s tax spending bill, saying he was “disappointed” with it and claiming it “undermines the work that the Doge team is doing”.
Musk’s comments appeared to indicate that the honeymoon between the two men was over, but on Friday, there were no signs of friction between the pair.
Trump presented Musk with a large golden key emblazoned with the White House insignia, which he said he only gave to “very special people” as a thank-you from the country.
Musk sports a black eye – and blames his son
Musk attended the press conference wearing a black Doge cap, a black jacket and a black T-shirt with the words ‘The Dogefather’ – as well as a visibly bruised right eye.
Asked about the bruise, Musk said his five-year-old son, X Æ A-12, had punched him in the face: “I was just horsing around with X and I said: ‘Go ahead, punch me in the face.’ And he did.”
“I didn’t really feel much at the time,” he added. “But I guess it bruises up.”
Musk quipped that he wasn’t “anywhere near France” at the time, a reference to a viral video appearing to show French president Emmanuel Macron’s wife, Brigitte, pushing Macron in the face.
Trump offers marital advice to Macron
Asked about the video of Macron and his wife and whether he had any “marital advice” for the couple, Trump replied: “Make sure the door remains closed.”
“He’s fine. They’re fine,” Trump added. “They’re two really good people I know very well, and I don’t know what that was all about, but I know him very well, and they’re fine.”
Musk dodges a question about alleged drug use
Musk brushed off a New York Times report about his alleged drug use while serving as one of Trump’s closest advisers. “Let’s move on,” he said when asked about the article, before railing against the paper for their “lies about the Russiagate hoax”.
According to the Times, Musk engaged in extensive drug consumption during his rise to political prominence, regularly consuming ketamine, ecstasy and psychedelic mushrooms. His regular medication box contained pills bearing Adderall markings alongside other substances, the paper said.
His use of ketamine was so frequent that he told people it caused bladder problems, the report says. Sources told the paper that he consumed the powerful anaesthetic sometimes daily rather than the “small amount” taken “about once every two weeks” he claimed in interviews.
