Elon Musk reflects on DOGE role: ‘Pretty successful..wouldn’t do it again’, says he should have focused on his companies

Elon Musk said his leadership of Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency was only “somewhat successful” and admitted he wouldn’t do it again, telling Katie Miller, “I don’t think so … instead of doing DOGE, I would have been working on my companies.” Elon Musk also reflected on the backlash, saying: “They wouldn’t have burned the cars,” referring to protests targeting Tesla. (AFP) Tech billionaire Elon Musk admitted that his time leading the Trump administration’s Department of Government Effectiveness (DOGE) had yielded only partial success – and that he would not take the job again. Speaking on the Katie Miller Podcast, Musk opened up about the agency’s struggles, its unpopularity and the toll it has taken on his companies. Looking back on his federal government role, Musk offered a subdued assessment of DOGE’s accomplishments. “We’ve been a little successful. We’ve been somewhat successful,” he told host Katie Miller, a former DOGE spokeswoman. The Tesla, SpaceX and X owner left the Trump administration in May of this year, months before DOGE closed. He said the biggest challenge was the impossibility of quickly restructuring the federal bureaucracy. Musk wouldn’t do DOGE again When Miller pressed him on whether he would accept the government role again, Musk was blunt. “I don’t think so… Instead of doing DOGE, I would basically… work on my companies.” He suggested that the time spent on DOGE had set back his businesses and even fueled public frustration. “They wouldn’t have burned the cars,” he said wistfully, referring to protests where Tesla vehicles were set on fire by angry consumers. Defends DOGE, but acknowledges its limits Despite his regrets, Musk continued to defend the controversial agency headed by Donald Trump. He said DOGE helped identify massive inefficiencies, including what he called “zombie payments.” Musk claimed DOGE could save up to $200 billion annually with better automation and coding. A Better Year for Musk After Leaving Government Since leaving the administration, Musk’s fortunes have rebounded sharply. Tesla shareholders approved a landmark compensation plan, potentially making him the world’s first trillionaire. Get latest real-time updates Stay updated with latest trends, India, world and US news. Business NewsNewsUs NewsElon Musk reflects on DOGE role: ‘Somewhat successful..wouldn’t do it again’, says he should have focused on his companies More