Donald Trump saw Elon Musk off from the White House on Friday, as the Tesla chief concluded his more than four months leading the disruptive foray into federal departments by the so-called “department of government efficiency” (Doge) that achieved far fewer cost savings than expected.
Standing alongside Trump in the Oval Office, Musk, who faced a 130-day limit in his tenure as a special government employee that had ended two days prior, vowed that his departure “is not the end” of Doge.
“The Doge team will only grow stronger over time. The Doge influence will only grow stronger. I liken it to a sort of Buddhism – it’s like a way of life,” he said.
Trump was effusive in his praise of the world’s richest man, saying Musk “delivered a colossal change in the old ways of doing business in Washington” and calling Doge “the most sweeping and consequential government reform program in generations”.
The president presented Musk with a golden key to the White House to mark his service.
“He willingly accepted the outrageous abuse and slander and lies and attacks, because he does love our country. I know that very much,” Trump said.
Their joint appearance came hours after the New York Times published a story detailing Musk’s use of ketamine, ecstasy and psychedelic mushrooms while campaigning for Trump last year. In the Oval Office, Musk wore a black cap and suit jacket over a T-shirt, while also sporting a bruise around his right eye he said was caused by his young son punching him while they were “horsing around”.
Conceived on the campaign trail not long after Musk endorsed Trump’s bid to return to the White House, Doge was established by an executive order the president signed hours after being sworn in. Its staffers, many who are young and have ties to Musk but little to no government service, then fanned out across federal agencies, cancelling out budget items and directing the terminations of employees.
An initial goal to cut $2tn in government spending became $1tn by the time Trump was sworn in – nonetheless a hefty sum that the president characterized as a necessary component of his promised “golden age” of lower taxes, leaner government and stricter immigration enforcement.
Labor unions and Democrats protested against Doge’s mass firings and warned that its unorthodox efforts to coax federal workers out of their jobs and gather information about their work would undermine government operations. The initiative made its presence known via emails that became infamous, such as the “fork in the road” deferred resignation offerings, or a short-lived demand that staff across departments submit a detailed list of their accomplishments.
Doge had a hand in the firings of thousands of probationary workers and the dismantling of the US Agency for International Development (USAID), both actions sparking court challenges. As the initiative picked up steam in February, Musk appeared at a prominent conservative conference wielding a chainsaw that he declared “is for bureaucracy!”
Yet the aggressive pace of cost-cutting sparked blunders, such as when the administration scrambled to hire back probationary employees let go from the agency overseeing nuclear weapons. Vandals motivated by antipathy towards Musk began targeting Tesla vehicles and dealerships, and reports emerged that his romp through the federal government has enraged Trump’s newly confirmed cabinet secretaries.
Doge’s public-facing website detailing its cuts became known for errors, but currently says it has only saved $175bn – much less than Musk’s goal.
“We do expect to achieve over time the trillion dollars of savings,” Musk said in the Oval Office. “Say, by the middle of next year, with the support of the president and Congress, could we achieve a trillion dollars of savings? I think so. We’re on track to do so.”
Republicans in Congress are expected to attempt to codify Doge’s cuts when they consider appropriations bills as part of the next federal fiscal year’s budget. As for Musk, he said he would “continue to be visiting here and be a friend and adviser to the president”.
