Elon Musk Reflects on Brief Role with DOGE, Calls It “A Little Bit Successful”

Elon Musk has described his time leading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) as “a little bit successful,” although he expressed a preference for focusing on his companies instead. The remarks came during a podcast interview released on October 17, 2023, with Katie Miller, a former DOGE spokeswoman and spouse of Stephen Miller, who served as deputy chief of staff under former U.S. President Donald Trump.

Musk’s involvement with DOGE lasted several months as he aimed to streamline the U.S. federal workforce and various government agencies. After Trump resumed office for his second term, Musk operated out of a small bureau in the executive office building, where he initiated significant budget cuts. However, his relationship with Trump soured in June 2021 over the administration’s flagship tax and spending bill, which Musk characterized as “utterly insane and destructive.”

When asked if he would consider taking on a similar role again, Musk replied: “No, I don’t think so.” He elaborated, noting that he would have preferred to dedicate that time to his ventures, implying that the distractions from his duties at DOGE may have contributed to incidents of vandalism reported at Tesla dealerships and charging stations during that period.

Musk stated, “We were a little bit successful. We were somewhat successful,” while discussing the outcomes of his leadership. He claimed that DOGE successfully halted numerous funding allocations that he deemed wasteful and nonsensical. Despite Musk’s assertions, quantifying the actual savings from DOGE has proven challenging. Independent observers suggest that the reported cuts of $214 billion on the official DOGE website may not accurately reflect real savings achieved.

The complexities of Musk’s brief tenure at DOGE highlight the interplay between government efficiency initiatives and the priorities of influential business leaders. As discussions about the efficacy of such initiatives continue, the implications of Musk’s comments resonate within both political and business spheres.