President Donald Trump bid farewell to Elon Musk on Friday in the Oval Office, marking the end of Musk’s role in government efficiency reform. Musk is stepping down from leading the Department of Government Efficiency. He plans to refocus on his businesses, including Tesla, SpaceX, and social media platform X.
Throughout his tenure, Musk pushed for government efficiency reform with bold goals. Trump praised Musk for creating “a colossal change in the old ways of doing business in Washington.” He said some of Musk’s staff members would remain within the administration to continue supporting reform efforts.
Wearing black, including a T-shirt reading “The Dogefather,” Musk listened as Trump highlighted the government contracts cut under Musk’s watch. These cuts aimed to boost government efficiency reform by trimming bureaucracy and waste.
After accepting a ceremonial key, Musk expressed strong confidence in the future the reform. “I think the DOGE team is doing an incredible job,” he said. “They’re going to continue doing an incredible job.”
Musk’s time in government efficiency reform led to massive shifts in federal agencies. Thousands of employees left or were fired. Some programs, such as the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), faced severe cuts. USAID had supported millions of impoverished people globally. Boston University researchers estimate these cuts contributed to hundreds of thousands of deaths.
The State Department responded, stating that many USAID programs fighting HIV, like PEPFAR, stayed operational. However, it did not address all the cuts, instead calling on other nations to increase humanitarian aid.
Despite pushing aggressively, Musk fell short of his original spending reduction goals. He promised to cut $1 to $2 trillion but later lowered expectations to $150 billion for the current fiscal year. Whether this target was met remains unclear. The DOGE website claims $175 billion in savings, though the data has inconsistencies.
During the Oval Office visit, Musk showed a bruise near his eye, which he explained came from “horsing around” with his son. “I said, go ahead, punch me in the face,” Musk recalled. “And he did.”
Trump described Musk’s government efficiency reform efforts as “the most sweeping and consequential government reform effort in generations.” He suggested Musk is “really not leaving” and would stay connected to government activities by visiting regularly.
Still, signs indicate public focus is shifting away from Musk. He once appeared omnipresent in Washington but has grown quieter. During press events, he often stood silently while Trump answered questions about foreign leaders, Joe Biden, and other topics.
When asked about Tesla tariffs, Trump took over the response instead of Musk. As the world’s richest person, Musk recently announced plans to cut back on political donations. He was Trump’s largest donor in the last presidential campaign.
In conclusion, government efficiency reform was central to Elon Musk’s government role. His reforms transformed many federal operations, sparking debate while driving change. Musk’s departure signals a new chapter in the ongoing effort to reshape government efficiency reform.
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