Trump values Musk's friendship as his leadership role wanes
Trump made surprising remarks about Elon Musk on Thursday: "I don't need Elon for anything else, other than the fact that I like him," the U.S. President stated.
Trump's words were spoken during a meeting with members of his administration at the White House. Elon Musk, who heads the Department of Government Efficiency, was also present.
"I don't need Elon for anything other than the fact that I happen to like him. I don't need his car. I actually bought one. He makes a great car," said Trump. In March, the U.S. President announced that he bought a new Tesla.
At the same time, Trump emphasized that Musk is doing a "fantastic job" in the American government.
Is the Trump-Musk alliance ending? "130 days"
Since the election campaign, Elon Musk has strongly supported Donald Trump, investing many millions of dollars in his campaign.
In early April, Trump mentioned that Musk had obligations related to running his companies, such as Tesla and SpaceX, which limited his time working in the government. "I think he’s amazing but I also think he’s got a big company to run. At some point he’s going to be going back. He wants to," said Trump, as quoted by CNN.
He announced that Musk will work for the U.S. government for only 130 days.
What are DOGE's achievements under Musk’s leadership?
The Department of Government Efficiency, led by Elon Musk, aims to reduce federal spending. CNN estimates that over 121,000 employees have been laid off from federal agencies during DOGE's operation.
DOGE claims its actions have saved $140 billion, although these estimates are overly ambitious. Officials often overestimate some canceled contracts, mistaking millions for billions.
Some canceled programs were stretched over the years, so the annual savings are much smaller. It's also a drop in the ocean—the deficit for 2025 is projected to be $1.9 trillion. For example, the Trump administration wants to increase it further through tax cuts.
