For months, Elon Musk played an unusually hands-on role in one of the federal government’s most controversial experiments: the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE. Created with the promise of slashing waste and “running America like a business,” the initiative gave Musk sweeping authority over everything from agency budgets to personnel decisions. Now, after just 130 days, he’s walking away — well, sort of.
In a pre-taped CBS interview that aired Sunday night, Musk confirmed his departure — but not before taking a swipe at a Trump-backed budget bill and, for the first time, admitting he doesn’t always agree with the administration he’s been helping to shape.
The fallout was fast: Within 24 hours of the revelation, he was out at DOGE, off the advisory roster, and back to defending himself on multiple legal fronts. But even as the White House insists the billionaire is still “a friend to the president,” questions remain: What pushed Musk out? What happens to DOGE without him? We took a closer look.
What did Elon Musk say about the Trump administration?
One of the more buzzed-about moments in the sit-down came when Musk opened up — somewhat reluctantly — about his differences with the Trump administration. Even though he said he’d rather not go there, he admitted that while he’s on board with “much of what the administration does,” they don’t always see eye to eye. “There are things that I don’t entirely agree with,” he said.
He added that speaking out is tricky. “It creates a bone of contention,” he explained. “I’m a little stuck in a bind, where I’m like, well, I don’t wanna, you know, speak up against the administration, but I also don’t wanna take responsibility for everything this administration’s doing,” he said.
But that wasn’t even the comment that really got him in hot water.
What apparently did? Musk took a jab at the House Republicans’ recent budget bill — the one Trump had labeled the “big, beautiful bill.” Musk didn’t hold back: “I think a bill can be big, or it can be beautiful — but I don’t know if it can be both,” he said, adding that it was just his “personal opinion.”
That remark seemed to hit a nerve. CBS reported that the clip of Musk’s criticism made its way all the way to the White House, and within 24 hours, Musk announced he was done with his role in the Trump administration. No more DOGE, no more government advisory role.
Officially, he said his 130-day stint as an advisor had simply run its course. But up until that point, he’d been saying he still planned to contribute part-time. So, make of that what you will.
Is Elon Musk really leaving the government?
Not exactly. On Elon Musk’s final day as a special government employee, Donald Trump dismissed the idea of a real departure, telling reporters Musk “is not really leaving” and would still drop by the White House from time to time because DOGE is his “baby.”
Privately, an unnamed advisor echoed that sentiment, telling CBS that Musk would “continue to be a friend to the president” and describing him as an ongoing “adviser.”
At DOGE, Musk launched an aggressive cost-cutting campaign that quickly drew scrutiny. Over four months, DOGE carried out sweeping cuts across the federal government: 250,000 workers were fired or bought out, and funding for key climate agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration was slashed.
The initiative claims it saved $160 billion, but a report from the nonpartisan Partnership for Public Service warns those savings could cost taxpayers $135 billion this fiscal year alone. Adding to the pressure, legal challenges are mounting. Just last week, a federal judge allowed a case questioning Musk’s and DOGE’s authority within the federal government to proceed. Several more suits are still pending.
Now, Musk appears to be turning his attention back to his business empire. Tesla’s profits have plunged 71 percent, and his net worth has dropped by $100 billion. In his CBS interview, he complained that what was “starting to happen” was “a bit unfair,” adding that DOGE “became the whipping boy for everything.”
Did Musk use drugs on the campaign trail?
During his time in government, Musk has faced violent threats, forced re-hirings, clashes with Cabinet officials, and reports of drug use. According to The New York Times, he reportedly told people he was using ketamine so heavily during the 2024 presidential election that it was affecting his bladder. He was also believed to have taken Ecstasy and psychedelic mushrooms, and reportedly carried a daily medication box with about 20 pills, including some marked as Adderall.
Musk denied the report alleging he used illegal drugs during last year’s campaign, calling the newspaper’s claims false. He has previously stated that he holds a prescription for ketamine.
The White House has similarly dismissed the reports. When asked on Friday whether Musk’s alleged drug use was a concern, Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller responded, “The drugs that we’re concerned about are the drugs running across the southern border.”
Musk first dodged a question about his drug use during a bizarre farewell appearance with Trump in the Oval Office on Friday, where he showed up with a black eye — something he said resulted from roughhousing with his 4-year-old son.
What’s next for DOGE?
It doesn’t look like DOGE is going away anytime soon. Following Musk’s departure, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the initiative will continue under the direction of remaining staff.
Still, without the tech mogul at the helm, DOGE may become a quieter, more conventional operation. The chaos, spectacle, and headlines Musk brought to the project could give way to a more bureaucratic approach, efficient or not. Whether that shift helps or hinders DOGE’s impact remains to be seen.
Either way, DOGE is entering a new chapter — one that may look very different from the last.
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