A day after quitting as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Elon Musk on Friday said he will continue visiting the White House and remain a friend and adviser to US President Donald Trump.
“I will continue to be visiting here and be a friend and advsier to the President,” Elon Musk said during a press conference in the Oval Office of the White House.
He said that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) project is just beginning, will grow stronger, and aims to reduce government waste and fraud by a trillion dollars over time.
“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,” said Elon Musk.
Musk, dressed entirely in black with a T-shirt reading “The Dogefather,” nodded as the president recited contracts that ended during his tenure.
Elon Musk will be rededicating himself to running his companies, including electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla, aerospace firm SpaceX, and social media platform X.
Donald Trump said Musk had led the “most sweeping and consequential government reform effort in generations." He added that Musk is “really not leaving” and “he's going to be back and forth” to keep track of what’s happening in the administration.
{{/usCountry}}Donald Trump said Musk had led the “most sweeping and consequential government reform effort in generations." He added that Musk is “really not leaving” and “he's going to be back and forth” to keep track of what’s happening in the administration.
{{/usCountry}}Musk, the world’s richest person, recently announced he would reduce his political donations. He was Trump’s top donor in last year’s presidential campaign.
Trump seemed keen to end Musk’s service on a positive note.
Trump says “Elon is terrific” and will keep helping
“This will be his last day, but not really, because he will always be with us, helping all the way," Trump wrote on social media Thursday evening. “Elon is terrific!”
As a special government employee, Musk’s role was always meant to be temporary. However, he had hinted at staying “indefinitely,” working part-time for the administration if Trump wanted him to continue.
Musk has downplayed concerns about DOGE’s future without him, even suggesting it could “gain momentum” going forward.
“DOGE is a way of life,” he told reporters recently. “Like Buddhism.”