Elon Musk says he wouldn’t join the DOGE office again if given a chance to restart.
On a recent podcast, the Tesla and SpaceX CEO explained that his time with the White House’s Department of Government Efficiency—an office launched at the start of President Trump’s second term—felt largely surreal, and he doubts the effort delivered meaningful savings. Musk admitted the initiative’s impact was only “somewhat” successful in trimming taxpayer costs, and he would have preferred channeling his energy into his companies instead.
He noted that the DOGE concept itself emerged from internet-driven ideas, and while he still believes reducing government waste is worthwhile, his personal contribution didn’t prove as effective as hoped during the months he collaborated with the Trump administration.
According to Musk, the department curtailed funding for projects that lacked sense or justification. He cited examples like “zombie payments”—billions of dollars annually disbursed without clear purpose—whose execution could be halted by requiring a payment code and a concise justification. At one point, Musk had projected potential savings of about $2 trillion, but he later revised that estimate to roughly $150 billion in spending cuts for the 2026 fiscal year before stepping back from the office in April.
Whether the ultimate savings amount remains public is unclear, though an August Politico analysis confirmed $1.4 billion in contract cancellations and a notable reduction in federal spending. When Miller pressed him on repeating the experience, Musk paused and ultimately said he wouldn’t participate again.
He reflected that, in hindsight, he would have spent his time building his companies and advancing the car projects rather than engaging with the DOGE initiative.
The episode also sparked backlash toward Musk, including protests and vandalism targeting Tesla, amid concerns that his White House work distracted him from his core business. Investors had voiced worries that Musk’s attention was split too thin between DOGE and Tesla, contributing to volatility in Tesla’s stock earlier in the year. After Musk announced his departure from DOGE, Tesla’s stock began to recover, gaining momentum as the year progressed.
In the broader political arc, Musk’s relationship with Trump cooled after public disagreements over policy measures, though signs of tension easing later emerged, including social invitations to Trump’s White House events. This back-and-forth underscores how high-profile tech leaders’ interactions with government can become focal points for debate and market sentiment.
What do you think about executive involvement in government efficiency efforts? Is cutting waste worth the potential distractions for a company founder and CEO, or should political engagement be kept separate from business leadership? Share your thoughts in the comments.
