The White House has confirmed that tech entrepreneur Elon Musk will continue his efforts to reduce government spending and streamline the federal workforce, countering rumors suggesting he might leave his position soon. This clarification comes in light of reports from Politico and ABC, which indicated that US President Donald Trump had communicated to his Cabinet that Mr. Musk’s departure from public service was imminent. However, it remains unclear whether this departure could occur before his 130-day term as a special government employee concludes around late May.
President Trump has enlisted the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX to spearhead initiatives through the Department of Government Efficiency, aiming to cut government funding and reshape the federal bureaucratic landscape. As White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated, “Elon Musk and President Trump have both publicly expressed that Elon will transition out of public service once his remarkable work at DOGE is accomplished.”
On Tuesday, both Mr. Musk and President Trump faced a challenging turn of events as a liberal judge triumphed in the Wisconsin Supreme Court election, defeating a conservative candidate whose campaign was significantly funded by Mr. Musk and his affiliated groups. This election has been viewed as an early indicator of public sentiment regarding both Trump’s presidency and Musk’s efforts to reform the U.S. civil service.
Interestingly, shares in certain government contracting firms experienced an uptick following news of Mr. Musk’s potential return to the private sector. Similarly, Tesla’s stock, which had dipped over 6% in early trading due to a disappointing fall in first-quarter deliveries, rebounded to gain about 5% by Wednesday afternoon.
In a recent interview with Fox News’ “Special Report with Bret Baier,” Mr. Musk expressed optimism about achieving his ambitious goal of cutting $1 trillion in federal spending within the course of his 130 days. However, during a 10 March discussion with Fox Business Network’s “Kudlow,” when asked by host Larry Kudlow if he intended to extend his service for another year, Mr. Musk responded, “Yeah, I think so.”
The DOGE website, the official platform detailing its operations, reports that it has saved U.S. taxpayers an estimated $140 billion as of April 2, primarily through workforce reductions, asset sales, and contract terminations, although this figure falls significantly short of Mr. Musk’s $1 trillion target. However, skepticism lingers as documentation supporting these purported savings is often missing, and the website’s previous calculations have faced scrutiny due to inaccuracies and the need for revisions.
DOGE’s overarching mandate is scheduled to persist until July 4, 2026. Yet, many of the key personnel within DOGE are closely associated with Mr. Musk, leaving doubts about their willingness to remain after his departure, as he has been the driving ideological force behind the government’s transformative initiatives.
The response to Mr. Musk’s aggressive tactics in workforce reductions has sparked growing unease across the nation. Approximately 200,000 employees have been laid off, marked for termination, or have opted for buyouts. Republican lawmakers are encountering backlash from furious voters at town hall meetings, while various aspects of DOGE’s initiatives are now embroiled in legal challenges. Moreover, Tesla dealerships have reported vandalism both domestically and internationally, and a nationwide protest against DOGE and President Trump’s policies is scheduled for this Saturday.
In the words of a thoughtful observer, “Change often comes with challenges, but it’s through navigating these difficulties that true progress can be achieved.” As we watch how these developments unfold, it remains clear that the implications of Mr. Musk’s endeavors will be felt across various sectors in the coming weeks.
Edited By Ali Musa
Axadle Times International – Monitoring.
