Donald Trump presented a special gift to Elon Musk at the White House. On Friday, the president held a press conference at the Oval Office to mark the tech billionaire's departure from his administration as a Special Government Employee.
What did Donald Trump give Elon Musk as a parting gift?
During his farewell appearance at the White House, the Tesla CEO received a golden key for establishing the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), per Associated Press. Trump said he would only bestow this gift to “very special people,” adding that it was a “presentation from our country.”
Also Read: Who is Robert Armstrong, columnist who coined the term Trump Always Chickens Out (TACO)?
The SpaceX founder's farewell comes after he announced on X, formerly Twitter, Wednesday that his “scheduled time” in the Trump administration has “come to an end.” He thanked the president for giving him the “opportunity to reduce wasteful spending.”
In return, Trump offered kind words to Musk during Friday's conference, saying, “Today it’s about a man named Elon.” The president praised the 53-year-old's “very great talents” before declaring that his administration is “totally committed to making the DOGE cuts permanent.”
{{/usCountry}}In return, Trump offered kind words to Musk during Friday's conference, saying, “Today it’s about a man named Elon.” The president praised the 53-year-old's “very great talents” before declaring that his administration is “totally committed to making the DOGE cuts permanent.”
{{/usCountry}}Also Read: Who are Varun Navani and Amanda Soll? Meet Indian couple whose baraat shut down Wall Street
Although Musk formally exited the administration, Trump said that “he’s going to be back and forth, I imagine.” Meanwhile, the richest man in the world said, “I hope to continue to provide advice whenever the president would like.” “I hope so,” the commander-in-chief replied.
Elsewhere during the meeting, Musk addressed the buzz around his black eye. When a reporter inquired about the noticeable bruise, he said, “I wasn’t anywhere near France. I was just horsing around with little X, and I said, ‘Punch me in the face,’ and he did.”