Elon Musk says DOGE’s push to streamline the government was only modestly successful, and he would not take the reins again.
After landing in Washington, DC, Musk—best known as the founder and CEO of Tesla—taced a surprising admission on a podcast: his bid to lead the White House’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) yielded limited gains, and he wouldn’t return to the role.
In this project, Musk spearheaded efforts to cut the federal budget and reduce the federal workforce during the early part of Trump’s second term. He had been a prominent donor to Trump’s campaign and aligned himself with the administration as a high-profile adviser.
Musk described DOGE’s impact as somewhat positive, noting that the team succeeded in halting funding decisions that he viewed as wasteful. Still, he indicated that he would have preferred to focus on his companies, suggesting the effort came at the expense of his other priorities.
“I think instead of doing DOGE, I would have basically worked on my companies. And they wouldn’t have been burning the cars,” Musk quipped during a podcast with Katie Miller, a former Trump administration official.
Asked whether he would lead DOGE again, Musk replied decisively, “No, I don’t think so.”
The DOGE initiative drew controversy and criticism, including backlash against Musk and Tesla, and even incidents of vandalism against Tesla vehicles, amid debates over the scope and motives of the government-efficiency drive.
Meanwhile, skepticism lingered among investors about Musk’s attention to Tesla as the company faced slowing sales, especially as public tensions with Trump intensified over tax and spending measures mid-year. Yet signals of reconciliation have appeared in more recent months.
DOGE reportedly disbanded with eight months left in its mandate, according to Office of Personnel Management Director Scott Kupor. The unit claimed to have slashed tens of billions in expenditures, though independent analysts found public verification difficult due to a lack of detailed accounting from DOGE.
Despite public tensions, Trump and his team have suggested DOGE’s demise in public discourse, even as the president had earlier signed an executive order extending DOGE’s life through July 2026. In media appearances, Trump has often described DOGE’s status in the past tense.
Amy Gleason, who previously led DOGE and has a background in healthcare technology, became an adviser to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy in March, alongside her DOGE role. Her public focus has largely remained on her work within HHS.
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