Elon Musk vowed that the Department of Government Efficiency would stay focused on slashing wasteful spending as he prepares to exit his role in President Donald Trump's administration later this month, the New York Post reported.
Elon Musk said DOGE staffers have no plans to take their "eye off the ball" when it comes to slashing government waste and spending as the wealthiest man alive prepares to transition out of his role.
The billionaire tech entrepreneur told Fox News host Jesse Watters that DOGE will remain a "long-term enterprise" even after his status as a special government employee ends on May 30.
"It's a long-term enterprise because if we take our eye off the ball, the waste and fraud will come roaring back," Musk, 53, said in a clip of his forthcoming sit-down interview Thursday on "Jesse Watters Primetime."
"We're trying to have it be such that the funding is removed, the grants are gone. There's a lot of work required to restart the waste and fraud."
The Tesla CEO has claimed $160 billion in savings after setting a $1 trillion target, but the exact contribution of DOGE remains uncertain.
Trump appointed the tech mogul to identify and eliminate wasteful government spending, fraud, and abuse.
Musk, who also owns X, made significant changes in Washington during Trump's initial months in the White House, including leading efforts to restructure the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and its 10,000 employees.
He supported closing the 1,700-person Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and reviewing federal agencies from the Education Department to the Pentagon.
Critics have noted that the South African-born businessman was not elected by the American public but made significant changes to the executive branch and dismissed thousands of government employees without seeking congressional approval.
Tesla cars and charging stations have faced harsh treatment recently, while the Justice Department has been charging vandals and arsonists as domestic terrorists.
Musk has been an unpaid temporary government employee since DOGE was formed and will continue as an informal adviser when his tenure ends.
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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