Elon Musk has announced that he is ending his involvement in the DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) project. He admitted that his political engagement weighed him down more than he expected and began to affect his ability to fully lead companies such as Tesla and SpaceX. His role in the government was also temporary and, according to Musk, mentally demanding.
A short but significant episode
Musk served as a special government worker in the newly established Department of Government Efficiency, which was created after Donald Trump’s return to office. His main task was to reduce spending and cut red tape. By law, he could only hold this position for 130 days, and he announced his departure the day before that period expired. On the X network, he thanked Trump for his trust and praised his efforts to save public funds.
The DOGE project claims to have saved US taxpayers $175 billion and reduced the number of federal employees by nearly 12%. Musk said that DOGE is not just a project, but a new way of thinking about government that will have a lasting impact. However, his optimism comes at a time when he faces a lawsuit from 14 states for alleged violations of the law in conducting government business.
Consequences for Tesla and the markets
Critics point out that Musk’s involvement in government has negatively affected Tesla. He himself admitted that he spent more time on politics than he should have. Investors, on the other hand, welcomed his announcement of his withdrawal from DOGE, which led to an immediate 5% rise in Tesla’s shares, despite an 80% year-on-year drop in profits.
Tesla still holds over 11,500 bitcoins worth over a billion dollars, but its shares remain nearly 6% lower than at the beginning of the year. This reflects not only sales problems, but also Musk’s distraction between technology, space, and politics. His return to business may therefore be exactly what investors and companies need.
