Musk defends his involvement with DOGE as he prepares to reduce commitments, yet offers vague responses regarding future plans.
Rewritten Article:
ELON MUSK'S WHITE HOUSE ROLE: A TWIST OF TECH AND POWER
Washington (AP) - Elon Musk, soon to step back from his role leading the Government Productivity Revolution, certainly left an unusual mark on our political scene during his stint. Reporters gathered at the White House for an exclusive interview found him asking for a joke before answering any questions—an unexpected request from the wealthiest man on the planet.
Musky's unconventional tenure as the head of cutting government expenses shook up federal agencies, drawing massive opposition, including demonstrations against his electric vehicle brand, Tesla. Musk's musings on the incongruous nature of his and DOGE's presence in the U.S. government echoed grippingly.
"It feels weird we've got DOGE in here," he mused. "Does it feel like we're in a simulation or something? But it was just a meme coin once, right?" he laughed, shaking his head.
Clad in all black, minus his signature double-hat combo from the previous Cabinet meeting, Musk stood firm on DOGE's work but provided hazy responses when discussing its future and his own achievements. Despite the barrage of criticism, he remained resilient.
"Being repeatedly slammed isn't exactly fun. And seeing Tesla cars set alight isn't fun, either," he remarked, referring to instances of vehicle damage.
Musk suggested DOGE had made headway but was quick to admit they could be more effective. DOGE's drastic cost-cutting measures have faced numerous legal challenges. DOGE's attempts to access sensitive government data, like Social Security records, have triggered resistance.
Democrats this week unveiled a live tracker, counting the federal funds DOGE has blocked, potentially sparking a constitutional showdown between two branches of government. Musk offered no specific examples of what he'd do differently, but DOGE is far from its initial savings goal and has exaggerated its accomplishments.
DOGE had initially planned to cut expenditures by $1 trillion. Musk said he's saved $160 billion so far but admitted reaching the trillion-dollar mark would likely be challenging.
"You could say it's about how much resistance there is from the Cabinet and Congress. It's achievable, but it means dealing with a lot of grumbles," Musk explained.
Musk declined to discuss the protests and criticisms in detail. He claimed he enjoys a good working relationship with Trump's Cabinet, but admitted disagreements do occur, particularly with Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Musk ridiculed concerns about DOGE spying by asking, "Don't we already have a surveillance state?" He argued that DOGE needs access to government systems to root out fraud.
DOJ confirmed they are working closely with DOGE to identify potential fraud. They won't detail the number of referrals made, but point to the recent indictment of an Iraqi man in New York on charges he illegally voted in the 2020 election, citing DOGE's assistance in the probe.
Musk admitted mistakes were made, such as mistakenly firing government employees working on critical regulations or maintaining national parks. But when asked about areas where he recommended efficiencies, he pivoted to discussing the nation's military strategy. He suggested spending more on hypersonic missiles and long-range drones rather than crewed systems.
DOGE is also working on improving air traffic control system connectivity and reviewing plans to upgrade software. Their main objective remains reducing wasteful and fraudulent spending.
Musk was evasive on his plans for the future. "DOGE is a lifestyle," he stated. "Like Buddhism." He refused to confirm whether he would keep his senior advisor title to the President. Asked about DOGE's exit timeline, he hinted at possible extensions.
"If the President wants us to stick to that deadline, we'll stick to it," he said.
Musky formed an alliance with Trump during the 2024 campaign and invested nearly $300 million in the election, mainly to help secure the President's reelection. Since then, he has frequently accompanied Trump to his Florida residence on weekends.
On Wednesday, he shared that he was working seven days a week on DOGE in the first few months of the administration, sometimes sleeping in the Lincoln Bedroom at Trump's invitation. When questioned about the number of times he slept at the White House, he declined to give an exact count but joked about the caramel ice cream in the kitchen. "Don't tell RFK," he joked, referring to Trump's Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Musk described these initial months as a hectic period, noting the federal government was like a new startup. Now that the dust is settling, he plans to spend less time in Washington, dedicate one to two days weekly to DOGE, and stick to the 130-day rule as a special government employee. He will keep his small office on the West Wing's second floor with a non-existent view—a safety feature, he quipped, making light of the risk of assassination.
Associated Press writer Alanna Durkin Richer contributed to this report
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- Seattle's political landscape has been impacted by Elon Musk's advising role in the government, especially with his involvement in DOGE, a meme coin, which has been a topic of discussion in general news, technology, and finance business.
- Musk, the billionaire CEO of Tesla, faced criticisms from various quarters, including demonstrations against Tesla, as he worked to reduce federal spending through DOGE, his governmental venture.
- The opposition to DOGE's cost-cutting measures has been so strong that Democrats recently released a live tracker, showing the amount of federal funds blocked by DOGE, potentially leading to a constitutional showdown between the two branches of government.
- In Washington, Musk spent long hours working on DOGE, often sleeping in the Lincoln Bedroom at the White House upon Trump's invitation, a departure from his usual business operations at amazon or managing his businesses in Seattle.
- Musk's unconventional work style, which included jokes and evasive answers, has been a stark contrast to the traditional approach of government officials, shocking many who have reviewed his work, including those in the field of politics and general news.
- Despite the controversies, Musk remains resilient, focusing on DOGE's main objective: reducing wasteful and fraudulent spending. He has implemented various initiatives, such as improving the air traffic control system and reviewing plans to upgrade software.
- However, DOGE's methods have raised concerns, particularly its attempts to access sensitive government data like Social Security records, causing resistance within the government.
- The Department of Justice is currently working with DOGE to identify potential fraud, following reports of a recent indictment of an Iraqi man for illegal voting in the 2020 election, which DOGE is said to have assisted in the investigation.
