Elon Musk I'm not selling my DOGE until next month, but Mr. President Donald Trump is already discussing him in the past tense.
Trump lavished compliments on his wealthy associate on Wednesday during a meeting with journalists at the Oval Office, discussing Musk’s impending exit from the budget-reducing committee.
I cannot say enough good things about this person," he stated. "They were incredibly helpful, not only during the campaign but also through their work with DOGE... They truly made a difference for the country.Saved us considerable funds.
In a conference call discussing Tesla’s earnings with shareholders, Musk announced that his involvement with DOGE would considerably decrease starting in May, amounting to approximately one to two days each week. As a special government employee, Musk is restricted from dedicating more than 130 days annually to such activities.
He consistently planned to step back during this period," Trump stated. "Whatever he does turns out well... At some stage, we must allow him to proceed with his plan. We anticipated this would happen around now.
On Tuesday, Tesla announced that their earnings dropped by 71% in the initial three months of this year. They made $409 million from January through March, compared to $1.4 billion during the corresponding period last year.
There has been some backlash due to the time I've spent in government with DOGE," Musk acknowledged during an earnings call while criticizing assaults on Tesla dealerships globally, which included the arson attack at a dealership location. Colorado and another in Rome .
Musk asserted, without offering proof, that these assaults were conducted by individuals acting as mercenaries.
On Wednesday, Trump escalated his remarks, lambasting "mentally ill individuals" who damaged Tesla dealerships as he promoted Musk’s businesses.
All the things he does are positive, yet they targeted Tesla. I found this extremely unjust since he is attempting to support the nation," he stated. "His products are excellent. The cars are top-notch. Everything he produces—including Starlink—is fantastic.
But it’s not just the public that has been unhappy with Musk’s drastic moves to shrink the size of government through DOGE.
The billionaire's tenure in government has been characterized by contentious relationships, particularly with members of Trump's cabinet.
Recently, Musk allegedly engaged in a heated argument with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent right in front of Trump, as reported by Axios. It took an assistant stepping in physically to separate them during this intense altercation.
It goes without saying that President Trump has assembled a group of individuals deeply committed to addressing the challenges facing our nation," remarked White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt. "Differences of opinion are an integral part of any robust policymaking process, and in the end, all members understand they work at the discretion of President Trump.
Read more at The Daily Beast.