US President Donald Trump said goodbye to billionaire Elon Musk in the Oval Office on Friday, marking the end of Musk’s time leading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Musk will now focus more on his companies, including Tesla, SpaceX, and X.
As the richest person in the world stepped down from his position as the US government's lead cost-cutter, Trump praised Musk's "incredible service" and gave him a golden key to the White House.
"Today it's about a man named Elon," Trump said during a joint press conference with Musk, marking his last day leading the DOGE.
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Musk 'not really leaving,' says Trump - Key updates from joint press conference Trump praised Musk for bringing about "a colossal change in the old ways of doing business in Washington" and said some of Musk’s team members would stay in the government. Musk, dressed in all black and wearing a T-shirt that said "The Dogefather," listened as Trump listed the contracts that had been cut under Musk’s leadership.
"I think the DOGE team is doing an incredible job," Musk said after receiving a ceremonial key from Trump. "They're going to continue to be doing an incredible job.”
Musk made major changes in the American government, including firing or pushing out thousands of employees. Some programs, like the US Agency for International Development (USAID), were greatly reduced.
Despite these changes, Musk did not meet his original goals. He first promised to cut $1 trillion or $2 trillion in federal spending but later lowered that to $150 billion for the current year.
It is not clear if that goal has been reached. The DOGE website claims $175 billion in savings, but the data has many mistakes and exaggerations, news agency Associated Press reported.
Trump said Musk led the "most sweeping and consequential government reform effort in generations." He also said Musk is "really not leaving" and "he's going to be back and forth" to keep track of what is happening in the administration.
Musk, the richest person in the world, recently said he would reduce his political donations. He was the top donor to Trump’s last presidential campaign.
Trump seemed eager to end Musk’s service on a positive note.
"This will be his last day, but not really, because he will, always, be with us, helping all the way," Trump wrote on social media on Thursday evening. "Elon is terrific!"
Musk’s job as a special government employee was meant to be temporary. However, Musk had said he might stay "indefinitely," working part-time if Trump wanted his help.
Musk has downplayed questions about how DOGE would continue without him, even saying it might “gain momentum” in the future.
"DOGE is a way of life," he told reporters recently. "Like Buddhism."
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