Elon Musk shifts focus to Tesla, leaving Trump’s cost-cutting team without clear leadership

Washington D.C. – Elon Musk has announced that he will significantly reduce his involvement with the Department of Governmen. This move may reassure Tesla shareholders but leaves key government projects without a clear driver. In a recent statement, Musk told investors that his time spent on DOGE operations will soon be scaled back to just one or two days per week, allowing him to refocus on his businesses. However, his exit from the day-to-day operations of DOGE could shift the momentum of a group that has dramatically influenced the Trump administration’s policy decisions, especially regarding government cuts.

Musk’s direct involvement in Washington has played a pivotal role in pushing the administration’s cost-cutting initiatives forward. His presence in Cabinet meetings and at the White House served as both an authoritative figure and a source of political cover for DOGE staffers pushing aggressive changes across federal agencies. The group, which has been responsible for major staff reductions and policy overhauls, now faces the prospect of losing the billionaire tech mogul’s disruptive energy.

“Having Musk at the helm has been a double-edged sword,” a Trump official noted anonymously. “On one hand, his influence helped push these reforms through, but on the other, his demands have created tensions with other Cabinet officials.”

Under Musk’s direction, DOGE staffers had embedded themselves in nearly every corner of the executive branch, pushing through cuts and reshaping the government’s approach to everything from immigration data to military shipbuilding. However, his growing frustration with the pace of change in Washington is believed to have influenced his decision to step back from the day-to-day management of DOGE.

Musk’s reduced involvement comes amid efforts from other senior administration officials to rein in his ambitions. In recent months, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent fought to regain control from DOGE, making personnel changes at the IRS. At the same time, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has expressed discomfort with DOGE’s proposed cuts to civilian defense staff. These conflicts have left some wondering whether DOGE can maintain its momentum without Musk’s constant oversight.

Despite Musk’s public pullback, his influence is unlikely to disappear entirely. White House officials suggest that Musk will continue to maintain a presence in Washington, with the expectation that he will visit at least once a week to meet with President Trump and other officials. While his reduced role may limit the speed of government reforms, it is clear that his efforts have left a lasting impact on the structure of the Trump administration’s approach to efficiency.

For now, the future of DOGE remains uncertain. While Musk’s involvement will lessen, the operational backbone he has built within the federal government remains in place—though it may now face new challenges as other agency heads take the reins.