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Elon Musk has confirmed he will remain a “friend and advisor” to Donald Trump after formally stepping down from his role leading the White House’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a controversial initiative aimed at slashing federal spending.
Speaking at a farewell ceremony in the Oval Office on Friday, Musk stood beside the president, who presented him with a golden key in appreciation for his cost-cutting efforts. Dressed casually in a black jacket, T-shirt and baseball cap, Musk praised the team he led, saying they were “relentlessly pursuing a trillion dollars in waste” for the benefit of taxpayers.
He criticised how DOGE had been depicted in the media, claiming: “We became, like, essentially the DOGE bogeyman, where any cut anywhere would be ascribed to DOGE.”
Despite his departure, the billionaire entrepreneur said he would continue to support the department’s work. “I look forward to continuing to be a friend and advisor to the president,” he said.
Musk is stepping back to focus on his business ventures — Tesla, SpaceX and the social media platform X — amid renewed public scrutiny following a recent New York Times exposé alleging excessive drug use. The report claimed Musk suffered bladder problems linked to ketamine use during the 2024 campaign, alongside use of ecstasy and psychedelic mushrooms. He reportedly travelled with a pill box last year.
When asked directly about the allegations, Musk did not respond but instead attacked the New York Times for its reporting on Russian interference in the 2016 US election, before swiftly moving on.
Under Musk’s leadership, DOGE reportedly cut billions in spending, including funds already approved by Congress. Critics argue the cuts have had devastating effects — a Boston University study linked the slashing of foreign aid to tens of thousands of deaths. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has rejected those findings.
Trump expressed his continued support for DOGE, saying the administration was committed to making the cuts permanent and would now focus on overhauling the Internal Revenue Service. “I have a feeling it’s his baby, and I think he’s going to be doing a lot of things,” Trump said, suggesting Musk would remain influential.
He also praised Musk’s satellite internet company, Starlink, saying: “Frankly, I don’t think he gets credit for what it’s done, but he’s a very good person.”
