PULSE POINTS:
❓What Happened: Elon Musk expressed optimism about the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and its mission as his time as a special government employee came to an end.
👥 Who’s Involved: Elon Musk, the DOGE team, President Donald J. Trump, and the federal government.
📍 Where & When: Musk’s comments were made alongside Trump in the Oval Office on May 30.
💬 Key Quote: “This is not the end of DOGE, but really the beginning… The DOGE team will only grow stronger over time… It is permeating throughout the government, and I am confident that, over time, we will see a trillion dollars of waste and fraud reduction,” Musk said.
⚠️ Impact: President Trump and Musk say most DOGE staffers will remain in post after Musk’s departure, so they can continue to search for efficiency savings.
IN FULL:
Tech billionaire Elon Musk expressed optimism that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) can continue to find savings as his time as a special government employee came to an end. “This is not the end of DOGE, but really the beginning,” he said in the Oval Office alongside President Donald J. Trump, at a press event marking the end of his tenure.
Musk suggested the DOGE ethos “is permeating throughout the government,” although its performance under his de facto leadership has been mixed. The Tesla and SpaceX mogul initially insisted he could rapidly achieve trillions of dollars in savings, but later revised his figures downward by over 90 percent. However, he said in the Oval Office that he expects DOGE to achieve a trillion dollars in savings “over time” following his departure.
Despite suspicions of a rift with President Trump, especially after Musk publicly attacked the “one big, beautiful bill” the administration has championed, the America First leader praised the South Africa-born entrepreneur at the press event, suggesting he would remain an advisor and friend at least on an informal basis.
Members of the press grilled Musk on reports that he regularly uses ketamine, ecstasy, and psychedelic mushrooms during questions in the Oval Office. He dismissed allegations on the basis that they originated in The New York Times, “the same publication that got a Pulitzer Prize for false reporting on… Russiagate.”
WATCH:
.@elonmusk: “This is not the end of DOGE, but really the beginning… The DOGE team will only grow stronger overtime… It is permeating throughout the government, and I am confident that, over time, we will see — a trillion dollars of waste and fraud reduction.” pic.twitter.com/75XZ7ih8qg
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) May 30, 2025