President Trump praised Elon Musk – at one point in the past tense – after the DOGE chief said he would pare back his government work to a ‘day or two’ per week after Tesla profits plunged.
Trump repeatedly lauded Musk, who has become a national lightning rod for spearheading the effort to slash agency spending, fire federal workers on short notice, and identify billions in savings by slashing what he calls waste and abuse.
‘He was a tremendous help both in the campaign and what he’s done with DOGE,’ Trump told reporters when asked about what role Musk would play in the future.
He complained that Musk was ‘treated unfairly’ and said he ‘can’t speak more highly about any individual.’
The president spoke after the world’s richest man told Tesla shareholders Tuesday he would spend ‘significantly less time’ at DOGE beginning in May after earnings tanked in the first quarter of the year.
He now says he will spend ‘a day or two per week’ on government – after referencing long hours for himself and his team at the start of the Trump administration.
Musk has been a top advisor to President Trump, often at his side even during weekends travel and his decision to depart DOGE came as a shock to many. But his own poll numbers have taken a hit, amid relentless coverage of his ‘fork in the road’ email to federal employees and what Musk himself has called occasional ‘mistakes.’
That included such moves as suddenly firing nuclear safety workers, only to immediately hire them back.
‘He was a tremendous help both in the campaign and what he’s done with DOGE,’ President Donald Trump said of Elon Musk, who is cutting back his time working with the government
Trump complained that members of the public ‘took it out on Tesla’ amid controversy over DOGE firings.
‘I also know that he was treated very unfairly by the – I guess you call it the public – by some of the public, not by all of them. I say he makes an incredible car. Makes – everything he does is good. But they took it out on Tesla. And I just thought it was so unfair, because he’s trying to help the country.’
Trump himself bought a Tesla in a show of support as the company’s stock plunged.
‘I also want him to make sure that he’s going to be in great shape,’ Trump said, alluding to the car company’s problems.
Trump praised Musk, his children, and his products, and said he was always going to leave around this time
‘And I told him, I said, “You know, whenever you’re ready. I’d like to keep him for a long time, but whenever you’re ready.’
‘He was always at this time going to ease out,’ Trump said of Musk, who is a designated Special Government Employee on a temporary assignment that can get renewed.
‘And when he goes back to Tesla, that’ll be taken care of,’ Trump said, predicting good things for the electric car company.
