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Elon Musk, head of the Department of Government Efficiency. Photo: Reuters . |
The world's richest man sat down for an hour-long interview with reporters in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, adjacent to the Oval Office. The session was meant to be an informal farewell as Musk plans to step down from his government duties, according to Axios .
The move comes after Tesla, the billionaire’s electric car company, reported a huge loss last month. Musk, who heads the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), said he wanted to focus on running his companies again, as construction work there was now complete.
The highlight of the interview was when Musk repeatedly emphasized that his withdrawal does not mean the end of DOGE's mission. He said that DOGE is a way of life, and even compared the Ministry of Efficiency to Buddhism.
In the interview, he said he was aware that his DOGE budget-cutting initiative had not been as effective as expected. To date, DOGE has only cut $160 billion in federal spending, a far cry from the $2 trillion goal he set last year.
DOGE has cut about 1% of its federal workforce (about 20,000 people). Musk estimates they are running about 70–80% of their original schedule and believes the program could save up to $1 trillion .
However, he admitted that the process has been difficult due to the complaints. Many, including civil servants who lost their jobs because of DOGE, question whether the small savings are worth the chaos it has caused.
Regardless of the mixed opinions DOGE brings, Elon Musk believes the program can last for the entire term of President Trump, meaning until the end of 2028, double the original deadline of July 4, 2026. “I think so. It’s up to the president,” he told reporters.
Musk also revealed more about his time in this position in the Department of Efficiency. That is, he did not always enjoy the job, especially when there was a wave of protests against his management of DOGE. A series of protests and vandalism targeted Tesla dealerships. “Being attacked constantly or seeing cars burned was not fun at all,” he said.
As CEO of SpaceX, Musk has been quietly advising the Pentagon on defense spending. He said he has been actively encouraging the secretary of defense to invest in hypersonic missiles and short-range drones, and he feels the other side is actively on board.
Musk also indirectly shared his close relationship with the current president. Although he was tight-lipped about his accommodations during his time in Washington, he revealed that he had stayed overnight in the Lincoln Room of the White House several times at President Trump’s invitation. Late one night, Trump called Musk and asked him to pick up ice cream from the White House kitchen.
As the world’s richest man, Musk has a tiny, light-less office in the West Wing, which he plans to keep for use when he’s in Washington, which he typically does one or two days a week.
“This office doesn’t have a great view. It has a window, but you just see the HVAC unit,” Musk said. However, the location also allows for a poor view of the outside, which limits the life-threatening threats he and his team face.
In early April, the White House confirmed that Musk would be stepping down from his role at DOGE as scheduled for 130 days, ending in May. During a cabinet meeting at the White House, Trump thanked Musk for his contributions and said the billionaire could return to his car business.
Source: https://znews.vn/elon-musk-lan-dau-trai-long-ve-bo-hieu-qua-chinh-phu-post1550377.html
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