The White House confirmed Wednesday that Elon Musk will remain in his role to complete the DOGE mission, dismissing recent media reports suggesting an early exit. The tech billionaire, who leads Tesla and SpaceX, was appointed by President Donald Trump to oversee the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and execute sweeping reforms aimed at cutting federal spending and downsizing the workforce.
“Elon Musk and President Trump have both publicly stated that Elon will depart from public service as a special government employee when his incredible work at DOGE is complete,” said White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.
Reports from Politico and ABC claimed that President Trump told his Cabinet that Musk would soon return to the private sector, though it remains unclear if this would occur before his 130-day mandate expires in late May. Neither Musk nor DOGE responded to requests for comment.
The DOGE mission has faced intense scrutiny and legal challenges, with critics questioning the validity of its reported savings. According to DOGE’s official website, the initiative has saved U.S. taxpayers $140 billion through workforce reductions, asset sales, and contract cancellations as of April 2—well short of the $1 trillion target. However, the website’s figures have been criticized for inaccuracies and errors.
Musk’s directive under DOGE is set to continue until July 4, 2026, but many of DOGE’s senior figures are closely tied to Musk and have yet to confirm if they would remain should he depart.
Meanwhile, backlash against Musk’s aggressive approach to cutting the federal workforce has grown. Nearly 200,000 government employees have been terminated, marked for layoffs, or accepted buyouts. The mass layoffs have sparked outrage, with Republican lawmakers facing heated town hall meetings and lawsuits challenging DOGE’s initiatives.
Tesla dealerships have been vandalized both in the U.S. and abroad, and a nationwide protest against DOGE and Trump’s agenda is planned for Saturday.
On Tuesday, a liberal judge’s decisive victory in the Wisconsin Supreme Court race dealt a blow to Musk and Trump’s agenda, as the judge’s conservative opponent—heavily backed by Musk—fell short. The race was viewed as an early referendum on Trump’s presidency and Musk’s efforts to overhaul the federal bureaucracy.
Shares of government contracting firms rose on news of Musk’s potential departure, while Tesla stock rebounded 5% on Wednesday after falling over 6% due to a drop in first-quarter deliveries.
Musk recently told Fox News’ “Special Report with Bret Baier” that he expects to achieve most of his goal to cut $1 trillion in federal spending by the end of his 130-day mandate. However, in a March 10 interview on Fox Business Network’s “Kudlow,” when asked by Larry Kudlow if he would extend his role, Musk responded, “Yeah, I think so.”
Despite ongoing controversy, Musk remains committed to completing his mission at DOGE, with the White House reaffirming his role until its objectives are fulfilled.
Reuters
