The assertion of Elon Musk that his work in Washington is “mainly done” can calm Tesla's shareholders – but his departure could undermine the government's ministry for her disturbing energy even if he continues to make major reductions in federal workforce.
In an effort to reassure Tesla shareholders shaken after a deadly profits call in the first quarter, Musk told investors this week that his 24 -hour involvement in Doge will soon be reduced to only a day or two per week.
The message to the markets was clear: Musk refocused on its companies. But its public outing of Washington also leaves Dogey without a clear driver, potentially to sink a group that spent the first 100 days of Trump's second mandate tearing agencies with almost unlimited momentum. Without the constant plan of Musk around President Donald Trump, Doge may not have the same firepower it has done once and agency leaders could now have more authorization to manage their agencies and implement cost reduction efforts at their own speed.
For months, the physical presence of Musk in the White House and attendance during meetings of the cabinet served both as a sword and a shield – offering coverage to Doge employees, intimidating the retained and demanding that the operation advance at a cheeky speed. “It is rare to have a secretary at the office level who pushes you in operational and politically,” said a Trump official, who, like others in this report, has obtained anonymity to speak freely.
And for a long time, many people in the White House did not know how to speak to Musk when Doge took drastic measures as requiring the “five things” of the emails of federal employees justifying their work or moving to make cuts so deep that they could hurt Trump politically, as Social Security Administration reductions operations or dismiss veterans. The White House officials estimated that only Trump could say no to Musk.
“How do you tell the richest man in the world to stop and queue?” Another White House official said last month.
But when Musk takes a step back, the same reluctance to counter the billionaire technology magnate will not extend to Doge staff, many of whom are now anchored in agencies and will be used for agency leaders. Already, the senior White House officials have taken steps to slow down the scope of Doge, which led the charge so that Musk abandons its goal of cutting $ 1 billion at only $ 150 billion for fear of cutting too close to the bone.
In terms of daily operations, initiates say that reducing Musk's reduction will not considerably change the operation of DOGE at least on paper. “It will not be a big change compared to the current situation,” said a senior Trump administration official, “because Musk is already doing a lot and (Doge's staff) are already trying to catch him at specific moments.”
The operation that Musk built has now dug almost all corners of the executive branch, most of the staff of the DOGEs used in agencies as named policies without time limit for their use. Others are based from the General Services Administration, now a Doge Nerve Center led by a software entrepreneur and a Musk Stephen Ehikian ally, pursuing a silent but regular purge of small independent agencies. (Just this week, it started Stop the person of 300 Millennium Challenge Corporation.)
The Lieutenants of Musk, Antonio Gracias and Steve Davis, remain involved in the direction of the initiative, giving pointers to the Doge staff integrated between the agencies while they continue to help execute the reductions of strength, a continuous process of several months.
Doge's initial mandate – Reduce waste and fraud – has since extended far beyond the simple cost cut. DOGE has been strongly involved in other Trump administration priorities, such as the collection of immigration data for mass expulsion planning, Trump's shipbuilding program, and even the implementation of $ 5 million per play “Gold Card”, according to five families with DOGE movements.
However, Musk's public withdrawal will be relieved for some officials of the cabinet who have had tensions with the billionaire and the contempt for the staff cuts.
Indeed, the senior administration officials were not surprised by the announcement of Musk on the call of Tesla. One, who is a big fan of Musk, said he had become more and more clear in recent days that the technology magnate has been running in Washington. His frustration at the lack of control is palpable, said the person – as he is used to being made and making end calls with his businesses.
Instead, Musk has seen his influence decline and was brought to the heel by other secretaries of the cabinet and people of the White House in recent months, because the insistence in coordinating their efforts has slowed down its layer speed.
Treasury secretary Scott Bessent retaliated from DOGE control last week by Lumiter The staff member of Doge Gavin Kliger And install a new IRS commissioner last week. IRS fires that were to start last week and go out on a bihebdomedary basis have still not materialized.
This last race with Bessente in the White House, Reported for the first time by AxiosOnly seemed to do more Washington, the senior officials mentioned above added.
At the Ministry of Defense, secretary Pete Hegseth publicly congratulated Doge's work, but expressed uneasiness in private on the foreground to potentially reduce tens of thousands of civil members, according to private conversations. DOGE employees have been in the building for weeks and have settled in the naval offices, where they take a new look at the service disturbed naval efforts and prepare the recommendations on the new programs that the service should reduce and what it should continue to develop, according to a second official.
When he was asked to answer, a senior defense official said that Hegseth “directs several initiatives to respect the president's intention, include the DEI withdrawal from the department and examine the standards of fitness and training through the services”, among others.
Sean Duffy transport secretary took a provocative tone earlier this month During a visit to the FAA Tech Center in New Jersey: “When I think of Doge who cuts things, I don't know about it elsewhere, but we build things here,” he said. “You cannot cut your way to a new road. You cannot go to a new bridge. You cannot make your way in a new air traffic control system.”
Even if Musk promises to reduce his involvement, there is no sign that he will disengage completely. Far from there – White House officials say that he and Trump have such a strong personal friendship that he should be in Washington at least once a week.
In his other companies, he used to ask and attend weekly meetings for current projects, to weigh with his ideas and granular comments. He attended weekly brainstorming sessions for the Tesla Optimus robot and received weekly updates to the contact measures for America PAC voters during the presidential campaign.
“I think I will continue to spend a day or two per week on government issues as long as the president would like me to do and as long as it is useful,” said Musk when calling results.
