'DOGE Was The Whipping Boy...': Elon Musk On Working In Trump Administration

7 months ago 15

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Last Updated:May 29, 2025, 08:02 IST

Elon Musk lamented the backlash against his government role, remarking, "People were burning Teslas. Why would you do that? That's really uncool."

Elon Musk admitted that his efforts to shrink the federal government through the US Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) fell far short of expectations as he described the federal bureaucracy as a far more difficult than he had anticipated.

“The federal bureaucracy situation is much worse than I realized," Elon Musk, said, adding, “I thought there were problems, but it sure is an uphill battle trying to improve things in DC, to say the least."

Elon Musk Says DOGE Became ‘Whipping Boy’

The billionaire, who has led the DOGE Service while also continuing to helm his companies Tesla and SpaceX, said criticism of the agency had become relentless. He said, “DOGE is just becoming the whipping boy for everything. So, like, something bad would happen anywhere, and we would get blamed for it even if we had nothing to do with it."

Elon Musk also lamented the backlash extending beyond Washington, saying, “People were burning Teslas. Why would you do that? That’s really uncool."

Elon Musk ‘Disappointed’ With Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill’

Elon Musk voiced his opposition to Donald Trump’s signature legislation, the “Big Beautiful Bill," which included sweeping tax cuts. Calling it a disappointment, Elon Musk criticized the bill for increasing the deficit and undercutting the very mission of his DOGE Service.

“I was disappointed to see the massive spending bill, frankly, which increases the budget deficit, not just decreases it, and undermines the work that the DOGE team is doing," he said.

Elon Musk Returns To SpaceX

As Elon Musk announced that his time leading DOGE has ended, he said that he has now returned to SpaceX ahead of a high-stakes Starship test launch- a key milestone in NASA’s Artemis program and his long-term Mars ambitions.

“I’m physically here," he said, continuing, “This is the focus, and especially around launch. Everything comes together at the moment of launch."

Elon Musk compared his mindset to that of a “wartime general", stating, “I have a maniacal sense of urgency. I’m just wired that way… You have got to drive hard, and not everyone is cut out for that. Like, people want to have the chill vibes, and SpaceX is sort of ultra hardcore. But if we’re not ultra hardcore, how are we going to get to Mars? You’re not going to get to Mars in 40 hours a week."

What Will DOGE Do Without Elon Musk?

Moving forward, Elon Musk said the DOGE will pursue “projects with the highest gain for the pain," aiming to root out inefficiencies and reduce fraud without the sweeping cuts that previously dominated headlines.

Location :

Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)

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