Elon Musk has publicly admitted not approving of all the Trump administration’s policies, after formally ending his short but turbulent tenure as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), the controversial agency created by President Donald Trump to slash federal spending and cut bureaucracy.
Trump offered a glowing farewell to the billionaire: “This will be his last day, but not really, because he will, always, be with us, helping all the way,” Trump posted Thursday on Truth Social, describing Musk as “terrific.”
But in an interview with CBS’s Sunday Morning, Musk indicated a more complex relationship with the White House.
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“I’m a little stuck in a bind,” he said. “I don’t want to speak up against the administration, but I also don’t want to take responsibility for everything the administration’s doing.”
The comment marks one of Musk’s most direct acknowledgments of the tension between his personal views and the aggressive agenda pursued by Trump’s second-term government. While the Tesla CEO has long championed leaner government and has aligned himself with Trump on deregulation, his recent remarks suggest discomfort with the political fallout and policy direction unfolding in Washington.
DOGE’s Ambitious Agenda and Divisive Impact
Musk was tapped to lead DOGE shortly after Trump returned to office, promising to bring Silicon Valley efficiency to the federal government. Within weeks, DOGE moved to eliminate tens of thousands of federal jobs and freeze agency budgets, prompting outrage among lawmakers, labor unions, and civil service advocates.
Criticism trailed DOGE’s activities from the onset, with many saying the department overstepped its mandate, targeting vital services and gutting long-standing agencies with little oversight or consultation. While Musk defended the cost-cutting spree, he admitted the agency quickly became a lightning rod.
“DOGE became the whipping boy for everything,” Musk said. “So if there was some cut, real or imagined, everyone would blame DOGE.”
DOGE initially promised to save trillions of dollars in taxpayer money, but its own data—already under scrutiny—falls well short of that target. The program has also drawn criticism from budget experts who say its accounting methods are opaque and inflated.
Disillusionment with GOP Spending Plans
Though Musk entered government to reduce waste, he said his efforts are being undermined by the very administration he serves. In particular, he expressed frustration with a Republican-led spending and tax package currently moving through Congress. The plan, which adds trillions of dollars to the U.S. deficit, clashes with DOGE’s purported mission of fiscal discipline.
“I was disappointed to see the massive spending bill, frankly,” Musk said in the CBS interview. “It undermines the work that the DOGE team is doing.”
That public dissent, however, measured, highlights Musk’s unease with the political climate in Washington. It also reflects the limits of his influence within the Trump administration, where populist policies and political expediency have often taken precedence over long-term economic reform.
Despite Musk leaving, the Trump administration insists that DOGE’s agenda will continue. Russell Vought, Director of the Office of Management and Budget, said on CNN Sunday that the White House is committed to pressing forward with cuts using “executive tools” and partnerships with Congress.
“It’s a provision that has been rarely used, but it’s there,” he said. “And we intend to use all of these tools. We want Congress to pass it where it’s necessary; we also have executive tools.”
Tesla’s Brand Takes a Hit As Musk’s Political Cost
Musk’s government role has not come without consequences. Tesla, the crown jewel of his business empire, has faced mounting public backlash, especially from the progressive and climate-conscious consumers that have long formed its base. Showrooms and cars have been vandalized in recent months, a sign of growing frustration with Musk’s political alignment.
Industry analysts say Musk’s image as an innovator has taken a hit. “His association with a government department that was blamed for widespread job losses has clearly soured perceptions,” said Daniel McClellan, an analyst with TechWatch Global. “It’s no longer just about cars or rockets—it’s about ideology.”
Whether Musk will return to government in a future role remains unclear. Trump has not ruled it out, and Musk has not explicitly closed the door. But for now, the tech billionaire seems intent on creating some distance, if not from Trump personally, then from the policies and politics that have made his DOGE experiment one of the most polarizing chapters of his career.