Elon Musk Defends DOGE Amid Uncertain Exit Plans/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Elon Musk defended his controversial leadership of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) while confirming he’s scaling back his role. Facing lawsuits and political backlash, Musk gave few clear answers about DOGE’s future or leadership succession. Despite setbacks, he claimed progress, though far below the agency’s ambitious cost-cutting targets.
Elon Musk Defends DOGE Amid Uncertain Exit Plans: Quick Looks
- Musk confirms reduced involvement with DOGE, scaling back weekly presence
- Says DOGE saved $160 billion but fell short of $1 trillion goal
- Refused to clarify leadership succession or DOGE’s timeline to disband
- Blames backlash, protests, and lawsuits for slowing agency progress
- DOGE under legal scrutiny for targeting sensitive federal programs
- Musk dismisses surveillance concerns, insists fraud detection justifies data access
- President Trump remains supportive; Musk frequently travels with him
- Musk now working 1–2 days a week, citing SGE time limits
Deep Look: Musk Defends DOGE Track Record as Exit Nears, Offers Vague Outlook on What’s Next
WASHINGTON — Elon Musk is preparing to scale back his involvement in the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a Trump-era agency he helped launch to cut federal spending and root out waste. But in a candid, often meandering conversation with reporters Wednesday at the White House, the billionaire offered few specifics on what comes next.
Before fielding any questions, Musk asked journalists in the Roosevelt Room for a joke, setting a surreal tone for an interview that reflected the unconventional style he’s brought to public service since joining the Trump administration.
“Doesn’t the absurdity of DOGE seem… like, are we in a simulation?” he asked, laughing.
DOGE was created to slash $1 trillion in federal spending, but Musk now estimates the agency has achieved $160 billion in cuts — far short of its goal. Still, he called the effort “effective,” though “not as effective as I’d like.”
Lawsuits, Data Access, and Political Tensions
Musk’s leadership at DOGE has drawn intense legal and political scrutiny, including lawsuits over federal worker layoffs and attempts to access Social Security and other sensitive data systems. Critics, including many Democrats, accuse DOGE of overreach and creating a “surveillance state.”
Musk waved off those concerns:
“Don’t we already have a surveillance state?” he quipped.
He argued the agency needs access to these systems to investigate fraud, claiming DOGE has referred cases to the Department of Justice. One recent example cited involved the indictment of an Iraqi man for alleged illegal voting.
Still, Musk offered few metrics or specifics on the number of fraud cases DOGE has uncovered.
DOGE Underperforms on Savings Goals
Although DOGE’s mission was bold, Musk now acknowledges it is unlikely to reach its original $1 trillion cost-cutting target. He suggested political resistance is the main barrier.
“It’s sort of, how much pain is the Cabinet and Congress willing to take?” Musk said.
Some of DOGE’s missteps include accidental firings of essential federal employees — such as those managing national parks and regulatory oversight — who later had to be reinstated.
Musk claimed DOGE also made recommendations on military spending efficiency, including a shift away from traditional, crewed defense systems toward hypersonic missiles and long-range drones.
Vague on Transition and Future Plans
When asked who will lead DOGE after his departure, Musk responded enigmatically:
“DOGE is a way of life. Like Buddhism.”
He declined to confirm whether he would retain a title within the administration, saying only, “I guess.” Asked if DOGE will disband in July 2026, per its original mandate, Musk again hedged:
“If the president wants us to stick to that date, we’ll stick to that date.”
DOGE currently employs about 100 staffers, but Musk said only vaguely that “some will stay, some will not,” and called it “basically a volunteer organization.”
Ties to Trump and Influence in Government
Musk has been a visible presence in Trump’s second term, often flying with the president to Florida and even sleeping at the White House. He joked that Trump encouraged him to try the caramel ice cream in the White House kitchen, adding, “Don’t tell RFK,” referencing Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Musk also described the early months of DOGE as an “intense period,” likening the administration to a startup.
Due to special government employee (SGE) limitations, Musk is capped at 130 working days per year in his advisory role. He now plans to spend only 1–2 days per week in Washington and maintain a small office in the West Wing, which he noted offers “a view of nothing” — a feature he joked keeps him safe:
“It’s harder to shoot me. There’s not a good line of sight.”
What Lies Ahead
Despite scaling back, Musk claimed DOGE will “gain momentum,” though its path forward remains unclear. With intensifying legal pressure, an incomplete mission, and murky succession plans, DOGE’s long-term survival may hinge on Trump’s continued support and the 2026 midterms.
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