Elon Musk Says He Probably Wouldn't Lead DOGE Again After Cost‑Cutting Stint

Six months after leaving his role heading the Trump administration's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Elon Musk said he likely would not repeat the experience. Musk made the comments during a nearly hour‑long podcast interview with former Trump aide Katie Miller released on Tuesday.

Reflection on DOGE

When asked whether DOGE had been successful, Musk called it "a little bit successful," adding that "we were somewhat successful" because the effort helped "stop a lot of funding that really just made no sense" and ended programs he described as "entirely wasteful." He said that, in hindsight, he would have preferred to return to his companies rather than continue leading the White House effort.

"I think instead of doing DOGE, I would've basically… worked in my companies, essentially," Musk said. "They wouldn't have been burning the cars," he added, referring to a string of arson and vandalism attacks at dealerships selling Tesla vehicles.

What DOGE Did

Named after an internet meme, DOGE was created within hours of President Trump’s inauguration. Musk’s small, youthful team moved quickly through the executive branch, closing programs it deemed wasteful and pushing for large workforce reductions via layoffs and voluntary buyouts. In some cases, entire operations—including parts of the U.S. Agency for International Development—were effectively shuttered.

Musk has claimed these actions could save the government hundreds of billions of dollars, and has sometimes suggested savings might reach as high as $2 trillion. Those estimates have been questioned by outside analysts and critics.

Criticism and Legal Pushback

The initiative drew both praise and sharp criticism. Supporters said it tackled unnecessary spending; opponents—including federal employees and Democratic lawmakers—argued DOGE exercised sweeping authority without congressional approval. Lawsuits were filed to block some of the proposed cuts, and many affected workers faced disruption and job losses.

Musk’s combative public style was on display during a February event when he brandished a chainsaw and called it "the chainsaw for bureaucracy," a moment that became emblematic of DOGE's aggressive approach to trimming government programs.

Aftermath and Relationship With Trump

The relationship between Musk and former President Trump frayed shortly after Musk left the White House in late May. The split included public criticisms from both men: Musk attacked Trump personally and criticized his tax legislation, while Trump warned of withdrawing federal subsidies for Tesla and SpaceX. In recent weeks, however, the two men have shown signs of rapprochement—Musk attended a White House dinner last month and Trump has said he "likes Elon a lot," suggesting the rift may have been partly about electric‑vehicle subsidy decisions.

On the podcast, Musk also complimented Trump’s sense of humor, calling him "the funniest person he knows" and pointing to a lighthearted Oval Office exchange as evidence.

Bottom line: Musk defended the spirit of DOGE’s cost‑cutting mission but suggested—given the choice again—he would rather have focused on his companies than on running an aggressive White House efficiency drive.