Trump & Musk: White House Farewell – News Update
- President Donald Trump commended Elon Musk's contributions to government efficiency during a White House event marking Musk's exit from his role.
- Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump lauded Musk's leadership of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an initiative focused on reducing federal bureaucracy and spending.
- Despite Musk's departure, Trump assured reporters that DOGE would continue its work, detecting fraud and slashing waste.
President Trump bids farewell to elon Musk, praising his work leading the Department of government Efficiency (DOGE), despite internal clashes and Tesla’s profit decline. Musk, departing after 130 days as a special government employee, defended his role amid questions about DOGE’s claimed $175 billion in savings. Critics, however, question the actual impact, with a Reuters analysis suggesting far lower cuts. The event aimed to downplay reports of a rift, especially as Musk, a key supporter of the trump campaign, remains a crucial advisor. News Directory 3 has the latest on this story. Discover what’s next for DOGE and the ongoing relationship between Trump and Musk.
Trump Praises Musk’s Departure From Government Efficiency Role
President Donald Trump commended Elon Musk’s contributions to government efficiency during a White House event marking Musk’s exit from his role. The event sought to downplay reports of a rift between the two men.
Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump lauded Musk’s leadership of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an initiative focused on reducing federal bureaucracy and spending. Trump credited Musk with driving meaningful change in Washington and modernizing outdated systems.
Despite Musk’s departure, Trump assured reporters that DOGE would continue its work, detecting fraud and slashing waste. The appearance followed Musk’s criticism of Trump’s budget bill and a New York Times report alleging increased drug use and personal turmoil.
Musk avoided commenting on the Times report or speculation linking his departure to declining sales at Tesla. He emphasized that his role as a special government employee limited his tenure to 130 days without stricter ethics requirements. Musk also promoted DOGE’s work and criticized those opposing Trump’s agenda.
Wearing a “The Dogefather” T-shirt, Musk stated that DOGE would only grow stronger. trump emphasized that his relationship with musk, a key supporter of his 2024 re-election campaign, would continue.
“Elon’s really not leaving. He’s going to be back and forth, I think,” Trump said.
Despite White House claims, the actual cost savings achieved by DOGE have been questioned. The panel claimed $175 billion in savings through various measures, but public accounting only reflects a fraction of that figure. A Reuters analysis suggested a much lower figure of $19 billion in federal spending cuts.
Musk maintained that achieving $1 trillion in savings remained a long-term goal, despite falling short of his initial $2 trillion target.
“I’m confident that over time, we’ll see a trillion dollars of savings, a reduction – a trillion dollars of waste and fraud reduction,” he said.
Critics question whether DOGE will maintain its momentum after Musk’s departure. His tenure saw sweeping changes to federal agencies, leading to lawsuits and clashes with cabinet members. Tesla also experienced a 71% profit plunge, prompting calls for musk to return to the company full-time.
When asked if his time in government was “worth it,” Musk acknowledged DOGE’s controversial image but reaffirmed his commitment to advising the president.
“I think it was. I think [it] was an vital thing,” he added. “I think it was a necessary thing, and I think it will have a good effect in the future.”
what’s next
The future of the Department of government Efficiency remains uncertain following Musk’s departure, with potential shifts in focus and priorities under new leadership.