Elon Musk’s tenure within the Trump administration came to an end with a joint news conference held in the Oval Office on Wednesday, where both Musk and President Donald Trump praised the controversial Doge initiative and vowed that its mission to cut government waste would continue.
The Department of Government Efficiency—commonly known as Doge—is an advisory body, not a formal government department. Its aim is to reduce federal expenditure, save taxpayer funds, and lower the US national debt, which currently stands at $36 trillion (£28.9 trillion).
While Doge claims to have saved $175 billion as of 29 May, a BBC analysis in April found only $61.5 billion was itemised, with documentation available for just $32.5 billion.
President Trump credited Musk with leading “the most sweeping and consequential government reform programme in generations,” saying federal officials’ mindsets have changed thanks to Doge’s work in detecting fraud and eliminating waste.
Musk’s role, however, has been contentious. Mass layoffs in federal agencies and the near-total dismantling of USAID, America’s primary foreign aid body, have drawn criticism.
His involvement also led to scrutiny of his private companies, triggering global protests and boycotts, particularly against Tesla, which has seen a significant dip in sales.
Despite stepping down from his official advisory role—limited to 130 days under the rules for “special government employees”—Trump insisted Musk would remain closely involved. “He’s not really leaving,” Trump told reporters. “It’s his baby... I think he’s going to be doing a lot of things.”
Musk said Doge would continue to pursue its target of $1 trillion in savings “relentlessly.”
The Oval Office appearance came just days after Musk voiced disappointment in Trump’s multi-trillion-dollar tax and defence spending package during an interview with CBS, the BBC’s US partner.
Musk had previously warned that the bill might undermine Doge’s objectives, though he refrained from criticising it during the press briefing.
Trump, however, defended the legislation, calling it “unbelievable” and “amazing,” before suggesting further tax cuts were still on his wishlist.
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