President Donald Trump said he wanted Elon Musk to stay working with him for “as long as possible,” though he acknowledged that the billionaire CEO of Tesla and SpaceX would need to return to his businesses full-time at some point.
Musk is spearheading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), tasked with slashing what it identifies as fraud and waste in federal spending.
Why It Matters
Musk is under mounting pressure to scale back his responsibilities in government after sales at his company Tesla fell 13 percent in the first quarter of 2025—its worst performance in nearly three years.
The billionaire is also facing pressure to wind down DOGE following the defeat of a Trump-backed judicial candidate in Wisconsin on Tuesday. Musk, who had heavily funded and promoted the campaign, is being blamed by some political analysts and GOP strategists, who cite his polarizing public image as a major factor contributing to the loss.
What To Know
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Thursday night, Trump said Musk is “fantastic and a patriot”.
“I like smart people and he’s a smart person. I also like him personally,” Trump said.
“I would say Elon will stay for a certain period of time and then he’s going to want to get back to his businesses full-time,” adding that he would offer Musk another role in government if he wanted one.
“I want Elon to stay as long as possible,” Trump said, adding that “DOGE will stay active” even after Musk leaves.
Trump’s comments come after a Wednesday report by Politico saying that Trump had informed close advisors and his Cabinet that Musk would soon be stepping down from his role at DOGE.
“The president remains pleased with Musk,” Politico reported, “but both men have decided in recent days that it will soon be time for Musk to return to his businesses and take on a supporting role.”
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt denied the report, calling it “garbage” and emphasizing that both Musk and Trump have agreed he will step down once his work at DOGE is complete.
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But Musk’s role in government has reportedly attracted the ire of Cabinet secretaries who have grown frustrated over his attempts to drastically cut down on the size of the federal government.
Tensions reportedly escalated in March during a hastily arranged meeting involving Trump, Elon Musk, and several Cabinet members. Musk and Secretary of State Marco Rubio reportedly engaged in a heated exchange, according to the New York Times.
However, Trump later shot down reports of a clash between Musk and Rubio when he was asked about the New York Times report by NBC.
Also in March, Republican lawmakers in the House and Senate urged the billionaire to send DOGE’s cuts through Congress after they faced dozens of legal challenges and provoked outcry from members of the public who took out their frustrations on several GOP members of Congress at town hall meetings across the country.
Musk’s program of cuts at DOGE and his clashes with lawmakers have also seen some administration insiders—speaking anonymously to Politico—expressing concerns that he has become a “political liability.”
News of Musk’s possible departure from DOGE came just one day after the defeat of Republican-backed candidate Brad Schimel in Wisconsin’s Supreme Court race to Susan Crawford. Musk had poured nearly $20 million into backing Schimel, but Crawford beat him by a nine point margin. After the defeat, some political analysts and GOP strategists pointed to Musk’s polarizing public image as one of the key factors in the loss.
Democratic strategist Doug Gordon told Newsweek this week that perhaps the richest man in the world had miscalculated his popularity and influence with voters—even among the GOP faithful. “It was clear that his efforts to take a chainsaw to Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid are deeply unpopular with the majority of voters,” Gordon said.
Carter Wrenn, a longtime Republican strategist, echoed the concern. “Polls are showing his popularity is upside down. That could definitely be a problem—especially with swing voters, independents, and ticket-splitters. Musk, personally, carries some negative baggage that could hurt.”
A recent poll conducted by the Harvard Center for American Political Studies and Harris, which surveyed 2,746 registered voters between March 26 and 27, found that 49 percent view Musk unfavorably, compared to just 39 percent who view him favorably. Some polls have also suggested that voters see government spending as one of the most important issues to Trump — despite voters prioritising the economy or the cost of living. Meanwhile, polls have shown Trump’s approval rating declining in recent weeks.
What People Are Saying
Elon Musk said in a recent Fox News interview: “I think we will have accomplished most of the work required to reduce the deficit by $1 trillion within that time frame.”
White House spokesperson Harrison Fields said: “Elon has been instrumental in executing the President’s agenda and will continue this good work until the President says otherwise.”
One administration official told Politico: “Anyone who thinks Musk is going to disappear entirely from Trump’s orbit is fooling themselves.”
What Happens Next
Musk is under a 130-day time limit in his current role as DOGE lead as a special government employee. If the start date for Musk’s position was the first day of Trump’s administration, he would no longer be able to lead the department on May 30. He previously told Fox News he thinks DOGE will have accomplished its goal by the May 30 deadline.
After Musk’s exit, Cabinet secretaries are expected to continue the department’s work. “There’ll be a point at which the secretaries will be able to do this work…with the scalpel, and that’s what we want,” Trump said on Tuesday.