Elon Musk, the head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) will be minimising his work in the government, and he's embracing his role as a visionary leader, likening himself to Buddha, per The Washington Post. When asked who would succeed him, Musk replied, "Is Buddha needed for Buddhism? Was it not stronger after he passed away?"
Musk's departure from DOGE is necessitated by his limited term as a special government employee, which expires in May. Despite this, he expressed his willingness to continue contributing to the government on a part-time basis. "I'm willing to contribute on average, one to two days a week... as long as the president wants me to do it," Musk said. He envisions dedicating a few days each month to advising President Donald Trump and the Vice President. "Obviously, if the president or the Cabinet has an emergency that they want me to respond to, then I'll do that," Musk added.
As Musk refocuses on his business ventures, including Tesla, X, and Starlink, speculation surrounds his successor. Recently, Tesla's board allegedly sought executive search firms to identify potential candidates for a possible leadership transition. Musk swiftly responded to the report, labeling it "deliberately false" and a "breach of ethics."
Despite stepping back from DOGE, Musk remains committed to the initiative, describing it as "a way of life... like Buddhism." He claims DOGE has achieved $160 billion in estimated savings and aims to reach $1 trillion. According to Musk, the DOGE's success is not solely dependent on his leadership. "DOGE is kind of a way of life... we make converts all the time," he said, expressing confidence in the team's ability to sustain momentum.
Musk's working relationship with Trump appears to be informal and friendly, with the billionaire often staying overnight at the White House. "The president is - I guess we're good friends," Musk said. Trump has even offered Musk the Lincoln Bedroom, complete with a tour of its history. The two have also shared late-night ice cream invitations. "He'll actually call, like, late at night and say, 'Oh, by the way, make sure you get some ice cream from the kitchen,'" Musk said.
He spoke about gaining three pounds in one night. "It was epic. I mean, don't tell RFK," he said, referencing Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. He also recalled how he played video games such as Diablo and “Pathfinder” on a large computer monitor in his West Wing office.
In a candid conversation, Musk shared his thoughts on the DOGE's office space, describing it as "comically tiny" with a view of the HVAC unit. "It's harder to shoot me there... there's not a good line of sight," he joked.
Musk remains optimistic about DOGE's prospects, believing it can endure without his direct involvement. With around 100 employees currently working on DOGE, Musk is confident that the initiative will continue to make progress, possibly for the duration of Trump's second term.
But he also spoke about the hardships of working at DOGE. "It's like 60 percent fun, 70 percent fun. Depends on the week," he said. "Being attacked relentlessly is not super fun. Seeing cars burning is not fun." He compared the department to a "start-up", saying "things have been very intense".
