It looks like billionaire Elon Musk has had his first and last dance with the government administration. Six months after stepping down from leading the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Musk suggested he likely would not repeat his time helming the controversial cost-cutting mission.
Musk’s DOGE represented a high-profile attempt to overhaul parts of the federal bureaucracy. The initiative aimed to cut costs, improve efficiency, and modernize government operations.
Musk discussed his time at the White House in a nearly hourlong podcast interview with former Trump administration aide Katie Miller that was released Tuesday. Asked if he believes DOGE was successful, Musk responded that it was “a little bit successful.”
READ: Elon Musk’s xAI to launch chatbot Grok 3 (February 17, 2025)
“We were somewhat successful,” the world’s richest man said, adding that he believes the initiative “stopped a lot of funding that really just made no sense” and was “entirely wasteful.”
Miller asked Musk if he would repeat his time leading the cost-cutting initiative, knowing what he knows now. He demurred before saying: “I think instead of doing DOGE, I would’ve basically…worked in my companies, essentially.”
He continued: “They wouldn’t have been burning the cars,” referring to a series of arson and vandalism incidents that hit dealerships for Musk’s electric carmaker, Tesla.
In mid-2025, Musk departed the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) after his 130-day special-employee term expired. Following his departure, Musk publicly criticized aspects of a major spending bill proposed by Trump, calling it fiscally irresponsible and claiming it would undermine DOGE’s reforms. This criticism led to tension between Musk and Trump, with Trump reportedly suggesting cuts to subsidies or government contracts tied to Musk’s companies.
Asked last week if Musk is back in his circle of friends, Trump said, “I like Elon a lot,” before suggesting that their rift was due to cuts to electric vehicle subsidies.
“I think we get along well,” the president added.
Musk’s brief leadership of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) demonstrates both the opportunities and limits of bringing private-sector approaches into federal governance. However, claims about the overall impact, such as major budget savings or structural reform, remain uncertain and lack independent verification.
The public and media attention surrounding DOGE reflects the growing role of high-profile entrepreneurs in shaping policy narratives. While Musk’s tenure was brief, the long-term implications of celebrity-led initiatives on federal policy and administration are uncertain, and it is difficult to predict whether future administrations will attempt similar approaches.