Trump: Elon Musk may leave DOGE to focus on the helm of Tesla, but it might be too late
Tesla CEO and DOGE head Elon Musk hasn’t made many friends during his time as a “special government employee.” But his time as government efficiency hatchetman may be coming to an end if President Donald Trump’s words hold true. Instead, Musk may focus on his EV automaker and other business interests.
Despite thinking Elon Musk is ‘amazing,’ President Trump subtly indicated that Musk may leave DOGE to focus on Tesla
President Donald Trump recently indicated to his inner circle that Tesla CEO Elon Musk might be stepping back from his DOGE work. Musk started his appointment as a special government employee with DOGE after Trump’s inauguration in January. Since then, he has taken a slash, cut, and burn approach to government cost-cutting.
However, his initial appointment was not to exceed 130 days. That timeframe would put Musk out of a job by the end of May. The rumor mill is buzzing that the Trump administration might seek another way to keep Elon Musk in the picture. But Trump’s recent words suggest the Tesla CEO may turn more of his focus to his business interests.
“Well, I think he’s amazing. But I also think he’s got a big company to run,” Trump said of the obscenely wealthy Tesla CEO. “And so, at some point, he’s going to be going back. He wants to,” the president said. “I’d keep him as long as I could keep him.”
However, the White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, tells a different story. Leavitt says the news of Musk leaving DOGE is “garbage.” She then added that “Elon will depart from public service as a special government employee when his incredible work at DOGE is complete.”
Leaving or not, the question remains: Is the damage done? Elon Musk’s government antics have left the electric automaker wounded. First quarter sales are down 13% compared to last year. It’s a sales slump the brand hasn’t seen since 2022. Granted, the brand’s best-seller, the Model Y, is idle compared to last year due to its ongoing update. However, at the personal level, owners are rebadging their Teslas and dealing with vandalism.
According to Allen Adamson, a marketing expert who spoke with NPR’s Morning Edition, shutting Musk out might be the only way for the electric car marque to heal. Adamson said Musk stepping away from Tesla could be “the best thing for the brand” and “the only easy fix” for Tesla’s currently catastrophic public image.
