Quick Take
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Elon Musk plans to reduce its role in government efficiency (Doge) and compare it to France. He aims to advise President Trump to post the expiration of his term in May. Despite his retreat, he believes Doge can thrive independently.
Elon Musk, head of the Government Efficiency Bureau (DOGE), has kept government work to a minimum and embraced his role as a visionary leader and likened it to France. Washington Post. When asked who would take over him, Musk replied, “Do you need a Buddha for Buddhism? Was he not strong after he died?”
Musk's departure from Doge is required by his limited term as a special government employee, which expires in May. Nevertheless, he expressed his willingness to continue to contribute to the government part-time. “I'm willing to contribute on an average of one or two days a week…as long as the president wants to do that to me,” Musk said. He intends to devote his days of advice to President Donald Trump and the Vice President. “Obviously, if there's an emergency that the President or Cabinet wants me to respond, I'll do that,” Musk added.
Speculation surrounds his successor as Musk refocuses on his business ventures, including Tesla, X and Starlink. Recently, Tesla's board of directors allegedly called for an executive search company to identify potential candidates due to potential leadership transitions. Musk responded quickly to the report, labeling it as “intentionally false” and “violation of ethics.”
Despite returning from Doge, Musk continues to commit to the initiative, describing “Living like Buddhism…” He claims Doge is aiming to reach $160 billion in estimated savings and reach $1 trillion. According to Musk, Doge's success doesn't depend solely on his leadership. “Doge is a kind of way of life… we always transform,” he said, expressing confidence in the team's ability to maintain momentum.
Musk's partnership with Trump appears to be informal and friendly, with billionaires often staying in the White House overnight. “The president – I think we're good friends,” Musk said. Trump provided Musk with a Lincoln bedroom and completed a tour of its history. The two also share a late-night ice cream invitation. “He'll actually call late at night and say, 'Oh, by the way, get some ice cream from the kitchen,'” Musk said.
He spoke about winning 3 pounds overnight. “It was an epic, so don't tell RFK,” he said, see Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. He also recalled how he played video games such as Diablo and “Pathfinder” on the large computer monitors in the West Wing office.
In a candid conversation, Musk shared his thoughts on Doge's office space, describing it as “comically small” as he looked at the HVAC unit. “It's hard to shoot me there… there's no good gaze,” he joked.
Musk is optimistic about Doge's outlook and believes he can withstand without his direct involvement. With around 100 employees currently working on Doge, Musk is confident that the initiative will continue to advance, possibly during Trump's second term.
However, he also spoke about the challenges of working at Doge. “It's 60% fun, 70% fun. It depends on the week,” he said. “It's not so much fun to be attacked without relent, it's not so much fun to see a car burning.” He compared the department to a “startup” and said, “Things are very intense.”
