Elon Musk has announced that he will be scaling back his involvement with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), the Trump administration’s aggressive initiative to eliminate waste, fraud, and misuse of taxpayer money. Although Musk plans to remain involved part-time, his decision to step away from day-to-day leadership marks the end of a dramatic chapter in Washington’s attempt to reform how the federal government spends money.
What Is DOGE?
The Department of Government Efficiency was created in January 2025 by executive order from President Donald Trump. Known by its acronym DOGE, the department was designed to operate like a business inside the federal government. Its mission was to find wasteful spending, cut unneeded programs, cancel bad contracts, and recover taxpayer money. Musk was chosen as the most high-profile advisor to help get it off the ground.
From the start, Musk made clear that he viewed the role as a duty. “He didn’t need to do this, he did it,” President Trump said during a press conference in the Oval Office. “He’s trying to help the country, and he has helped the country.” Trump described Musk as “an incredible… brilliant guy” and “a great patriot” whose contributions went far beyond normal political service.
Why Musk Is Stepping Away
During Tesla’s earnings call on April 22, Musk told investors, “Starting next month, I’ll be allocating far more of my time to Tesla, and now that the major work of establishing the Department of Government Efficiency is done.” He added that he would continue to support the Trump administration’s efforts, but at a reduced pace. “I think I’ll continue to spend a day or two per week on government matters for as long as the president would like me to do and as long as it is useful,” Musk said.
Musk’s decision comes as Tesla struggles through one of its toughest quarters in recent years. The company reported a 71 percent drop in net income, down to $409 million, and a 9.4 percent drop in total revenue to $19.3 billion. Tesla’s automotive revenue alone fell 20 percent year-over-year, and the company warned investors that uncertainty around tariffs and trade policy could continue to impact sales.
“I’ll be focusing more on Tesla,” Musk said plainly, noting that public backlash and financial losses had begun to weigh heavily. In fact, he blamed much of Tesla’s recent struggles on his political work. “This is a very expensive job,” Musk said during a town hall in Wisconsin. “What [protesters and vandals are] trying to do is put massive pressure on me, and Tesla, I guess, to you know… stop doing this.”
The $160 Billion Success
Despite the controversy, DOGE has proven to be one of the most impactful reforms of any administration. The department has reported over $160 billion in savings since January. These savings have come from a combination of asset sales, canceled contracts and leases, reduced interest payments, fraud elimination, and the removal of dead or fake beneficiaries from federal programs.
In one of the most eye-opening reports, DOGE revealed that nearly 11 million Social Security accounts belonging to people aged 120 or older were marked as deceased. According to a chart shared by DOGE, more than 3 million of these records were for people between the ages of 130 and 149, and over 1.3 million accounts were listed for individuals aged 150 to 159. Musk posted a screenshot of the data, joking, “Maybe Twilight is real and there are a lot of vampires collecting Social Security.”
DOGE also found that more than 9,000 people with birthdates set decades in the future had filed for unemployment benefits. According to the department, “9,700 people with birth dates more than 15 years in the future were paid $69 million in benefits.”
The average taxpayer savings amount to $993.79, based on 161 million tax filers. “We are working to upload all of our receipts in a digestible and transparent manner,” DOGE stated in its most recent update. About 30 percent of the contract, grant, and lease cancellations are already listed on government websites like fpds.gov.
How Musk’s Role Changed Washington
Musk’s constant presence in Washington changed how DOGE operated. According to one Trump official, “It is rare to have a Cabinet-level secretary pushing for you operationally and politically.” His personal involvement pushed staffers to move faster and cut deeper. In fact, his influence was so strong that many officials inside the White House didn’t know how to push back. “How do you tell the world’s richest man to stop and get in line?” one official asked.
DOGE staff are still embedded across federal agencies, continuing their work. Musk’s top allies, including Antonio Gracias and Steve Davis, remain involved in leading the department from inside the General Services Administration. According to one senior official, “This won’t be a big change from the current situation… [DOGE staff] already try to catch him at specific times.”
However, other officials are now stepping in to place limits on DOGE’s power. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent recently fired a key DOGE staffer and installed a new IRS commissioner. Officials said this marked a turning point where Musk’s influence began to fade.
Even so, DOGE continues to expand. It has been involved in shutting down agencies like the Millennium Challenge Corporation and has supported broader administration goals, including immigration enforcement, regulatory rollbacks, and visa overhauls.
Looking Ahead
Musk may be stepping back, but his impact will last. DOGE’s early success has already led to spinoff programs at the state level, including “Texas DOGE,” which focuses on cutting unnecessary regulations and increasing government speed and transparency.
President Trump made it clear that Musk is welcome to return at any time. “I told him… whenever you’re ready, I’d like to keep him for a long time,” Trump said.
For now, Musk plans to focus on Tesla and his other ventures, including SpaceX and Starlink. But the foundation he helped build at DOGE remains strong, with billions in taxpayer savings already secured and more cuts on the horizon.
As Trump put it, “He was a tremendous help both in the campaign, and in what he’s done with DOGE. What he does is good.”
